Identity
by Uhtred of Bebbanburg
Summary: Waking up with a major headache, a metal plate in my head, and no idea of who I am, I wonder what fate will decide. With no memory of my past, I can only worry about the future. The one promise I can make is that I will find the man who put the bullet in my head, and return the favour.
1. Chapter 1 - Prologue

_Waking up with a major headache, a metal plate in my head, and no idea of who I am, I wonder what fate will decide. With no memory of my past, I can only worry about the future. The one promise I can make is that I will find the man who put the bullet in my head._

 _A/N – Having written stories for Mass Effect (a few) and the Elder Scrolls (one so far), I am currently writing a story for Dragon Age, and the last game series I wanted to write a story for is Fallout. Having given it some thought, I figured the best one to write about would be regarding New Vegas, with all the factions and the length and breadth of the story I can adapt._

 _What can you expect with my story? I guess you'll just have to find out! I have a few plans, though nothing is concrete at the moment. My stories generally develop as I write them, adapting ideas as I go along, though I always know how I want to end the story. (Sometimes I'll write the start, the end, then fill in the gap. I can at least change the ending if I need to!)_

 _Finally, there is a little bit of influence from the Bourne series, more the movies than the novels, so that might help explain the title. And the main character, when introduced next chapter, shares the same name as the central character of my story 'Land of My Fathers' and the Dragon Age story I'm also writing. His name is adapted from Bernard Cornwell's 'Saxon Stories' (and explains my username.)_

 _I always start my stories with a very short prologue._

* * *

The sound of a gunshot echoes in my head. It feels like it goes on forever. Perhaps it lasts only a split second, and this will be my life for eternity. The sound of a gunshot. One would believe a gunshot would be followed by a bright light and then… whatever is meant follow it. Heaven, hell, purgatory, whatever you happen to believe. Or the unending darkness of death.

But there is no light. There is only the darkness. But I am thinking these words, so I must not be dead.

Or, at least, I am not dead yet. Perhaps this is the moment of death that is meant to last forever, where I will live all my past regrets over and again. I doubt I will be given any joy as I die. Not that life had much joy to begin with.

But the darkness does not last forever. Does it last a second, a minute or an hour? I'm not sure. I'm not counting. What's the point in counting when you're meant to be dead?

I open my eyes, and I find myself in a strange town. At the same time, it feels oddly familiar. The buildings. The people. The sounds. The smell. I look around as I walk the main road, reading signs though they don't appear legible. Whatever this town is, I'm not sure where I am. But there is an air of familiarity that I cannot shake. I take a seat on a bench and watch people pass by. Across the road is a man working at a bench, hammering away at metal, making something, though I'm not sure what. It seems peaceful enough. Not idyllic. Nothing about the world we inhabit now can be considered that. But there is peace.

Or, at least there was, until the bear-men came.

I hear the screams first, then the firing of guns. I look down to see a rifle across my lap. I look right to see an advancing column. I rise to my feet, aim and fire, slowly moving backwards, the column ever advancing. I walk backwards past the fallen. I hear the screams of men, women and children as they are rounded up or slaughtered. I feel nothing but fear. I am not scared to admit that. Whatever is invading, they do not appear to be human.

I go down. I must have been shot, though I feel no pain, looking down to see no blood, nor wounds. But I close my eyes, and wait for the darkness.

I open my eyes and find myself walking a deserted road. Above the sun is baking the earth, the road, myself. The heat is oppressive. I look around, but there is no shade. Nothing for miles. There is only me, the road, the sand. Barely a gust of wind. I carry on walking, my destination ahead, wherever it is. I have a rifle slung over my back, a pistol holstered at my side, a knife sheathed to the other. The world is a dangerous place. The open road even more so. I've already walked past those who had not taken precautions. But it is not just people who can be dangerous. The animals can be and generally are a whole lot worse. I'm on constant lookout, my eyes glancing left and right, constantly checking behind. It is exhausting. I grab my canteen, hoping the water will be cool. But it is warm and hardly refreshing, but it is liquid, and it will keep me alive.

I close my eyes as I walk along. It is a straight road. It's not like I'm going to bump into anything.

My eyes shoot open and I am met by a kaleidoscope of colours, noises and sounds that make no sense, surrounded by so many people, I'm not sure where they could have all possibly come from. I weave my way through the crowd, the drunks, the lovers, the fighters, the schemers. I recognise no-one and nothing, but again, there is a familiarity I recognise. But no-one recognises me. No-one tries to stop and talk to me. It's like I'm not even there.

I close my eyes, and there are no more dreams. Or nightmares. Or memories.

Instead, there is the sound of a gunshot. There is no bright light. There is only darkness.

And I feel like I am falling…

Falling…

Falling…

It feels like it goes on forever.

I eventually hit the bottom of wherever I am. It is softer than I imagine it could be. I feel a sense of relief. And the darkness goes on.

But I'm not dead yet.


	2. Chapter 2 - Not Dead Yet

_A/N – I had to think about what rating to give this. I guess it's going to get a little violent and bloody, plus there will be swearing, so the safe option was to make it M. There will eventually be a romance, that will be established rather quickly, though will be 'background noise' during most of the story._

 _If you are wondering, there is probably a little influence from the 'Bourne' series of movies (considering they're some of my favourites, little surprise.)_

 _I have a few chapters to upload, so I'll be uploading one every Friday until everything I have written so far is up. Then this will go quiet as I focus on another story for the time being._

* * *

I took a breath, sucking it deep down into my chest, before slowly breathing out. Not wanting to open my eyes, not sure of where I was, I lifted a hand to my face. I could feel a scar along my cheek, running my fingers up towards my forehead, where I could feel something wet. _Might be a cloth or a bandage._ I could feel my head was lacking some hair, running fingers along what felt like a smooth scalp.

Taking another deep breath, I opened my eyes and I wasn't surprised that my vision is blurry. I remembered the dreams I'd experienced, though I can't think of what had happened before. I just remember noises, and colours, and… It doesn't matter, as my vision slowly corrected itself, and I recognise I am looking at a ceiling. Pressing myself down, whatever I am lying on is soft and rather comforting.

"Easy there," a voice stated.

My eyes immediately widen completely, and I sit up far quicker than I should have. I immediately feel woozy, and want to be sick. Placing my head in my hands, I hear footsteps and then a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Take it easy, young man. There's no rush to get up. Your body has taken quite a beating."

"Where am I?" I managed to croak out.

"All in good time. All in good time. Just get your bearings first. There's a lot to explain."

I waited until I felt equilibrium, though I had no desire to try and stand just yet. Just sitting up is enough to send my head spinning, and my stomach is still flipping. I take a series of deep breaths, keeping the feeling of wanting to be sick at bay, as I finally sit up straight before leaning back. Opening my eyes, I look around for the source of the voice.

"There, that's better," the voice said. I look at the man. His voice matches what I'd expect. A bald head. Wise eyes. Moustache. And the clothes of a... I couldn't place it. My eyes moved from him around the room, taking in everything. He had plenty of supplies, particularly medicinal. _I guess he's a doctor?_

Returning my eyes to him, I ask, "Where am I?"

"You're in a small town called Goodsprings." The name meant nothing to me, and my face must have been blank. "You don't remember arriving here?"

"No. The last thing I remember is…" _Shit. Where was I last?_

"You don't remember?"

I thought hard for a few seconds but absolutely nothing came to mind. "No."

"Oh… Okay, how about this. What's your name?"

That was even worse. _What the hell? My name is…_ I remained silent. I had no idea where I was, who I was, what I was doing there. I closed my eyes and tried to beckon memories. Any memories. But while I had flashes of the dreams I'd experienced, even those meant nothing to me. They didn't tell me anything important.

"You don't remember?" I shook my head. The man got to his feet and crossed the room, picking up a wallet, before walking over and handing it to me. "Maybe this will tell you who you are? See if it jogs the old memory."

There wasn't much in the wallet. There was a card that had a name on it, assuming it may have been ID, and also a card for something called the Mojave Express. Other than that, there was some scrap paper, none of it meaning anything to me. "Uhtred?" I looked at the man. "Is my name Uhtred?"

The man shrugged. "I'm not sure. But that wallet was on your person when you were dragged in here. I can only assume that is your name. Unless you stole the wallet." He reached a hand across. "My name is Mitchell, by the way." I shook the offered hand. "So I guess you might be wondering what happened, particularly if you can't remember?"

I nodded. "I don't remember a thing. Just the sound of a gunshot. It's like it's still ringing in my ears even now."

Mitchell got to his feet, returning with a small mirror. "If you can't remember anything, you won't remember what you looked like." Taking the mirror, I looked at myself. Piercing blue eyes were the first things I noticed. There was a scar down my right cheek, and a couple more across my scalp. Half my head had been shaved, the other half apparently blonde and short. "You were shot, Uhtred. In fact, you weren't just shot. You were executed. Or, at least, whoever shot you attempted to execute you."

"By who?"

"I don't know. I didn't see it happen."

"I'm still alive so I'm guessing I was lucky?"

Mitchell laughed. "Lucky? That's not the half of it, Uhtred. I wouldn't suggest you head to New Vegas anytime soon, as I think you've just used up all the luck you could possibly have. I managed to remove the bullet, but you've been left with a metal plate in your head. Go on, rap your knuckles against your head." I did, and while it didn't clang, it was far harder than normal. "It not a large plate, but it was necessary due to the damage the bullet made. And I guess the bullet is what's caused your amnesia."

"So I can't remember anything, not even my name, but I can still speak, walk and everything else?"

"The brain is a strange and beautiful thing, Uhtred. No-one really knows much about it. At least, not anymore. And I'm not a brain surgeon. All I could do was make sure I got the bullet out, fix the part of your skull that was damaged and then wait for you to eventually wake up."

"How long have I been out?"

"About a week. I've used drugs to keep you out while the swelling went down."

I couldn't think of any more questions to ask. Not knowing who I was, the reason I was in Goodsprings, whether I was travelling anywhere or not… I was at a loss. _What the hell do I do now? Try and find someone who might know me?_ Getting to my feet, I attempted walking, and was surprised it was rather easy, though my balance was still slightly off.

"You have a mirror around anywhere?" I asked, "I wouldn't mind seeing what I look like."

"Try the bathroom. There's one in there that should show you."

I tried a couple of doors, revealing a bedroom and a kitchen, before finding the bathroom. The mirror was rather dirty but I could still see myself. I wasn't exactly tall, I figured around six foot, though I didn't really know. I took off my shirt and noticed a couple of scars across my body. Running my fingers along one, I could only think _I wonder where that one is from?_ I was rather tanned, leaving me to wonder what I had done with my life up to that point. I wasn't thin, but I wasn't fat, and I seemed to have slight muscular definition, leaving me even more confused. _Did I work under the sun for a living?_

Walking back into the main room, I took a seat on the couch near Mitchell. "So, what you expecting?"

I shrugged. "I didn't know what to expect. I think I might as well just shave my entire head for the time being though."

"Considering you have no supplies, I can give you a few things to tide you over so you can make your way."

I was astounded by his generosity. "Thank you. I'll endeavour to pay you back."

He waved his hand dismissively. "I'm a doctor. I'm supposed to help people. And considering what you've been through, it wouldn't feel right to send you out into the world with only the clothes on your back. No, the world is a dark, dangerous place, my friend. First, you're going to need protection. And by that I mean a weapon. Second, you're going to need a little bit of money. Third, if you shave your head, you're definitely going to need a hat. You don't want a burned head at the end of each day."

"Let me shave first. Then we can discuss options."

Telling me that he had shaving equipment in the bathroom, I made quick work of the rest of my hair, and my bald reflection was staring back at me a few minutes later. With a few days' stubble on my face as it was, the jagged scar on my cheek, and more scars on my scalp, I wondered how intimidating I looked.

"Any idea what I should do? Where I should go?" I asked, once back in the main room.

Mitchell played with his moustache as he thought. "Honestly, there's not a lot going on in Goodsprings, Uhtred. If you want to hang around here, by all means do so, but if I were you, I'd leave as soon as possible." He got up and disappeared, returning a few seconds later with a map. Laying it out on a nearby table, I got up and we gathered around it as he started to point. "New Vegas is north, but you won't want to head straight north. Deathclaws. To the south you've got Primm. Further than that is the Mojave Outpost. NCR."

"Who?"

Mitchell shook his head. "It's not important right now. After Primm, you can head east to reach Nipton. Small little town, not much to it. Bad reputation. But you'll have to pass through it. North from there you've got Novac. Good place to pick up supplies and rest if you need to. If you follow the main road from there, you should eventually reach New Vegas. But to be honest, Uhtred, it's up to you what you want to do. The world is your oyster."

I returned to the couch, sitting back and stroked my chin. "I guess there are two things I need to do. One. I need to find whoever shot me. And two. I need to find out why they shot me. I mean, it can't have just been a random thing, right?"

Mitchell shrugged again. "People are inclined to commit murder for any number of reasons nowadays. That's the way of the world. But the way you were shot and left for dead, I think you might be right. You were shot for a reason. Are you sure you can't remember why?"

"I could sit here and think for the next week, month and year. I don't think I'm going to remember a thing. Oh well, I guess I have a clean slate to build from."

"Unless you run into anyone who might know you?"

"That will certainly help."

"How are you feeling? Think you could head outside and at least have a look around?"

"Do you think I'm well enough?"

"Sure. As I said, I was keeping you under just to make you sure you were okay. But apart from the amnesia, you seem physically fit at least." He got to his feet and gestured. "Come on, I'll get you some supplies and we'll head out."

I followed him into a storeroom and he started to pile things in my arms. A blue and yellow jumpsuit, which has the number 21 on the back. An electronic device which I didn't recognise. Bottle caps. A 9mm pistol. And some bobby pins. He must have seen my confused look, gesturing for me to follow him back into the main room.

"It's a vault suit," he explained, "You remember or heard of the vaults?"

"No, but they sound familiar."

"I lived there most of my life, along with my wife, until we decided to leave. They were built before the bombs dropped. Try it on, it should fit you."

Dressed in only a shirt and underwear, slipping into the jumpsuit was easy. Zipping it up, it felt comfortable, though I wondered if I wasn't going to find it too hot outside. "What this?" I asked, holding up the electronic device.

"A Pip-Boy. You'll find it definitely comes in handy. Here, I'll help you put it on." He attached it to my left forearm, strapping it up so it was tight enough not to move. It didn't feel as heavy as I anticipated. "You'll quickly get used to the thing. Everyone had one in a vault."

"Bottle caps?"

"Currency, Uhtred. Old world money is used for nothing more than kindling for a fire, or if you need to wipe your arse. Caps are king, though there is also a barter economy. If you have something someone wants, they might just have something you require in return. The NCR have tried to introduce their own money, but no-one really wants to use it."

I held the pistol on my right hand. It was light, maintained, and after a quick check, had a full clip. I pulled back the slide and held it in both hands, taking aim at a spot on the wall, immediately falling into a stance. I have no idea why I did it. It just felt… natural…

"You seem to know what you're doing with that, at least."

"You got something I can holster it in?"

"Yeah, give me a second." He disappeared again, returning with a belt that I looped around my waist, placing the pistol in the holster. "Huh, you look like one of those old world cowboys. Speaking of which, here's a hat too. That'll keep your noggin cool."

"Thanks for everything, doc."

"No worries. I'm just glad we didn't have another senseless death. Goodsprings is a peaceful little town. I don't want that reputation ruined."

Escorted through the door, the first thing I do is make sure my hat is in place. The heat hit me immediately as I walked outside, and even with hat in place, I had to squint as the light hit my eyes. I daren't look up, keeping my eyes level as I take in what there is of Goodsprings. There wasn't much to it, not that I expected a bustling city. Underneath my suit, I immediately feel the sweat start to form.

"Barely a cloud. And it's not even noon yet," Mitchell muttered, "Come on, I'll show you to the saloon."

As we strolled along, I continued to look around, though there was very little to see. It was dry, desolate and rather dull, in all honesty. Barely any life to it whatsoever. Within minutes, I felt parched and ready for a drink. Mentioning that to Mitchell, he mentioned that water is available in the saloon. Clean water too.

"I've just thought of something, Mitchell. Any idea where I was found?"

"Yeah, I can take you there if you want. Maybe that'll help your memories."

We walked past the saloon and started climbing a hill, an enormous water tower north of the cemetery itself. Walking past a number of graves, I ignored those, as though I didn't exactly have any memories, I started to feel slightly unsettled. We eventually came to a stop next to what appeared to be an open grave.

"You were found in here. Whoever shot you at least looked you in the eyes when they did it. After you'd been shot, you fell forward into the hole and they at least partially covered you. I guess the only reason you survived is that you were found very quickly."

"Who found me?"

I noticed he looked a little uncomfortable, rubbing the back of his neck before glancing at me. "Its name is Victor."

"It?"

"Victor is a securitron."

"A securi-what?"

"Um, a robot." Mitchell turned to look back upon the town of Goodsprings. "Victor is usually around somewhere. He..."

"He? I thought it was an it."

Mitchell shrugged. "The voice is a male tone, so I guess that's why it's a he. Anyway, Victor might seek you out himself. You can ask him more questions about what happened. I'm not sure if he saw it actually happen, you being shot and all, but he's the one who dug you out and dragged you to my place."

"I guess I should thank him."

I looked back down at the hole again. _Guess I should be glad I'm not still lying down there, at least. But it stirs no memories. No real feelings in all honesty. I just want to know who the hell I am and why I was shot._ Something on the ground next to the grave caught my eye, crouching down to see a number of cigarette butts on the ground.

"You smoke?" Mitchell asked.

"No. Or, at least, I don't think so. I'm certainly not feeling any urge."

I picked up a couple, handing one to Mitchell, as I looked at the one in my hand, even going so far as to sniff it. He took a good look at the one in his hand and whistled. "Well, whoever was smoking this, and I can only assume it was one of the people who put you in that hole, they have good taste in cigarettes. You don't find this make everywhere."

"I'll take a couple as evidence. Doubt it'll actually help, but anything that may put me on the right track…"

With no desire to hang around the grave any longer than necessary, I gestured back towards the saloon. I stopped for a moment as the hill gave me a good view of the surrounding region. I could see some sort of building complex in the distance leading out of Goodsprings, but the hills prevented me seeing anything further to the south.

Despite being day-time, part of the sign was illuminated, though the word 'saloon' appeared to be made up of a number of different signs, each letter in a different font. "Prospector Saloon?" I asked.

Mitchell shrugged. "That was its name when I first arrived here."

Removing my hat as we walked inside, it was rather dark and dreary, only the open windows providing any sort of real light, though we didn't leave the heat outside, inside just as if not even a little hotter. There were a couple of people at the bar, another couple of people sitting at a nearby table, and music was quietly playing at a nearby jukebox. Walking to the bar, there was no-one behind it, one of the men at the bar mentioning someone called Trudy had stepped out for a while.

"Uhtred, I'd like to introduce you to someone," Mitchell stated, gesturing to a woman sitting at one of the three booths. "This is Sunny Smiles."

Turning and offering my hand, the first thing I noticed were the dark brown eyes and an easy smile. Her skin was tanned, and a quick look up and down suggested she was… fit. She took my offered hand and I was impressed by the firm grip. "Pleasure," I stated.

"Ah, you must be that young man we've all heard about." Her eyes moved up, clearly looking at my scalp. "Couple of mean looking scars too. You're lucky to be alive."

"So I've been told."

"Unfortunately, Uhtred is missing some memories. Well, to be honest, he's missing all of them. We only know his name thanks to the identification he kept in his wallet. But there is little else he knows about himself."

"So no idea what brought you to Goodsprings?" she asked. I shook my head. Her eyes moved to my hip and the holstered pistol. "How are you with a pistol?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea," I admitted, "I haven't fired it yet."

"Well, if you have no memory, I guess you don't know if you can handle a rifle or not."

"No, but I can ask why?"

She gestured to the empty seat across from her, sliding into the booth beside Mitchell. "Well, I can only assume that someone such as yourself probably won't want to hang around Goodsprings the rest of their life. I certainly know you're no local."

"You don't know me?"

"I've never seen you before in my life."

I couldn't help a rueful chuckle. "Well, I guess that answers one question I had in my mind."

"True, and if I don't know you, then no-one else will either. Sorry, Uhtred, but you are definitely not native, at least to this small town. And I have a feeling you're not local to any of the nearest towns either. Anyway, I am wondering if you're good with a rifle because maybe you could help me with a couple of problems and earn some caps to help you on your way."

I have to admit that it interested me. Doing something was better than wallowing in self-pity, or sitting back, wracking my mind, trying to figure out who I was, where I was from and where I had been going. I had no real urge to get on the road just yet, mostly because I had no idea where to go. And I figured I wasn't exactly going to be thrown into the thick of the fire just yet. "What do you need help with?"

"One small task, shouldn't be a problem. The other one is… a bit more difficult to ask. You see, I'm a hunter. I take care of the vermin that infest towns like this, while also making a few caps by selling whatever I can cut away from the bodies. In addition to that, I help protect the town."

"Do you have much trouble?"

"Not usually. We're a little off the beaten track, and we're too poor to be seen as a target. But any town needs to be protected. Left unprotected, even a town like this would be easy pickings to someone or a group that wanted to cause trouble."

"We haven't had any major problems since I arrived," Mitchell added.

"Okay, what's the small task? Vermin, I take it?"

"Yeah. We'll head out, and I'll see how you handle a rifle. Once we do that, we can go shoot us some geckos," Sunny replied enthusiastically.

"Geckos?" I asked, not sure what they were, though I could take a guess or two.

"Vicious little bastards. But you can use their skin for leather, and their meat is some good eating."

Getting to my feet, Mitchell said he would head home, but that if I was going to remain in town, that there would be a bed available for me at his house. Thanking him again for his generosity, I followed Sunny outside, eventually ending up outside what appeared to be what I guess would have once been someone's home.

"Home sweet home," she stated, pulling at the door, hearing it creak as I held it open upon walking in, slamming behind me, surprised the door didn't simply fall from its hinges. "I have a few rifles in stock. I'll give you a varmint rifle and some ammo. You can keep it when you choose to leave as a memento of your time in our little town." She paused, before looking at me, "Though I'm not sure waking up here without any sort of memory is something worth remembering."

"At least I know my name now."

"Hmmm. That's something, I guess." She handed me a rifle and a small box of ammo. "There you go. Now, follow me. First, we'll just see if you can actually shoot. If you can, I'll lead the way to some known gecko dens. They've started to be a problem yet again."

The sun was now high in the sky, baking the land and anyone who happened to be walking underneath it. Sunny took a canteen attached to her belt and, after taking a drink, offered it to me. I looked at it cautiously. I had no memory, but I looked around and couldn't see any sort of water source. _Sure, there's that water tower, but how often does it even rain here?_

"It's safe. Purified water, Uhtred." I took a sip and almost groaned in pleasure. I had to resist drinking the entire canteen, restricting myself to a couple of mouthfuls before handing it back. "Make sure you get yourself a canteen, and only ever drink it if it is definitely purified. You don't want to drink anything else. You'll make yourself dreadfully ill, if not kill yourself."

"Sound advice."

We ended up standing before a fence, watching as Sunny lined up a series of empty glass bottles. Once they were in position, she stood next to me. "I know you don't have any memories, but let's see how you hide a rifle." Simply getting into a position that felt natural, looking down the sights, Sunny walked slowly around me, I guess looking me up and down. "Well, whatever it is, that certainly seems to be natural. Perhaps just instinct?"

"Just doing what feels right."

"Okay, see if you can hit the bottles."

Swinging the rifle slowly, I looked down the sight, closing my left eye. Finger feathering the trigger, I controlled my breathing and, at the moment that felt right, pulled. By the time the bottle was smashed apart, I was already moving the rifle to the next bottle. Same process. Sight, feather, pull. Smashed bottle, already moving. Third bottle the same thing.

With all bottles gone, I made the rifle safe before pointing the barrel at the ground. I turned towards Sunny, who looked rather surprised. "Well, um, you seem to have some talent."

I shrugged. "As I said, just doing what felt natural."

"Well, I don't think personal safety will be a problem. But before we move on, perhaps we can test you with a pistol. I'll put up three more bottles, and we'll move back a little further. Let's see if you really are that good."

After she set up another three bottles, she led me back a few more metres from the fence. Looping the rifle around me again, I took the pistol from my holster, and though it was different to holding a rifle, the general practice was still the same. Two hands, controlled breathing, feather and pull the trigger. Bang. Bang. Bang. Three bullets. No more than five seconds to hit the three bottles. Even I had to admit being slightly impressed. I had no idea why I had that sort of talent, but I noticed the slight jaw drop from Sunny.

"Sure you can't hang around?" she asked, I think only half joking.

I shrugged again, feeling a little embarrassed. "Again, it just felt natural. All on instinct. I can't tell you where I learned it or why I know."

"Well, I'd unsling that rifle but I don't think you're going to find a few geckos too much hassle."

We spent the next couple of hours wandering the local area. Sunny had an idea of where the gecko burrows were, though they always seem to know when we were coming, and she was right about one thing. They were vicious little bastards, having absolutely no problem trying to attack us. One or two got close enough where using a rifle simply wasn't an option, so I used my rifle like a club. The feeling of crushing the head of a gecko with a couple of good whacks didn't affect me as much as I thought it would.

Once Sunny was happy that we had taken care of the problem, she gathered up a few of the bodies, asking if I could do the same, as she was going to skin them and keep the meat, keeping some for herself while trading the rest with the locals.

The sun was starting to go down as we headed back outside again, Sunny leading me on what appeared to be the road out of town. Coming to a stop at what looked like a major route, she pointed out a few things. "So over there in the distance is what used to be a prison run by the NCR. It's now run by a group calling themselves the Powder Gangers. If, or more likely when, you choose to leave, don't head north. No-one survives heading north. Head south. It's a bit of a walk, but there are towns to the south and then on the road leading east."

"How far is the nearest town south?"

"It'll take you half a day or so to get to Primm, if you don't run into any trouble."

"Thanks for the advice."

"I'm sure you'll be fine, but it pays to be wary."

We headed back to town and the saloon, where I found myself introduced to some of the local inhabitants, including the owner of the saloon, a woman named Trudy, having heard her name mentioned before. The jukebox continued to play in the background. The music was familiar, but I didn't remember it. _Story of my life, it seems._ I received one or two questions, but once everyone realised I had no memory of who I was, they told me what they knew of the world, which to be honest, wasn't a whole lot. I was left with the feeling the community was rather insular and kept to themselves. _Probably safer that way. Who knows what I'm going to run into once I leave this town._

Despite not having much to talk about, I was polite enough to sit around and enjoy a glass or two of alcohol. I was surprised at the choice behind the bar, Trudy suggesting that one thing no-one had any trouble getting was alcohol, particularly for those who produced their own stock. I didn't know what I liked, having no memory, but whatever was being served suited me just fine.

Heading back to Mitchell's house, there still wasn't a cloud in the sky, though the moon was large and bright, actually providing enough light for me to wander in the darkness, managing to find my way without any major problems. The doc was still up when I walked inside, and he led me to a spare room. "Thought about what you're going to do?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I'll see what tomorrow brings. But I guess there isn't any real point staying here too long. I need to know what I was involved in."

"I'll see if I can track down Victor for you tomorrow. He might know something, and if he can point you in the right direction, that will be even better."

"Thanks, doc."

"No problem. I'll see you in the morning."

Lying back on the bed, I certainly didn't bother with any blankets as it was far too hot for that. In fact, I got up and removed the jumpsuit, eventually lying back in just my underwear, and even then, I was still sweating. Upon closing my eyes, I found sleep difficult to come by, probably because I'd been asleep for at least a week, plus there was obviously a lot on my mind. But eventually exhaustion told, as being on my feet nearly all day in the heat was always bound to takes its toll. The last thought to cross my mind before eventually drifting off was…

Who the hell was I?


	3. Chapter 3 - Good Karma

_A/N - I'm on holidays this week so have another chapter._

* * *

I woke up and my memory hadn't returned. I will admit to a little bit of hope that I would awaken with all my memories intact. My name. My occupation. My past life. What I was doing in Goodsprings, or at least what had led me to there to begin with. But, as far as I was concerned, the most important question, who bloody shot me and then left me for dead.

But no, my memories were still gone. I remembered the previous day, and that was it. I'll admit, it was a little depressing, but I wasn't going to let it get me down too much. Instead of looking backwards, I could now only look forward. Though whether I could do that with any sort of confidence or not was another question.

Mitchell was up and about by the time I found him in the main room. He offered me some breakfast and asked what I planned to do. Scratching my bald head, I could only shrug again. It was becoming a common gesture. "I'll speak with Sunny and see what this second problem is. She mentioned she had two problems, though didn't really mention anything about the second one. Do you know what she could be talking about?"

Mitchell leaned back in his chair, stroking his moustache again. Another common gesture I recognised, knowing he was thinking. "The only major problem that could affect Goodsprings is the correctional facility down the road. But they haven't really bothered us." He noticeably paused. "Let me add to that. They haven't bothered us yet."

"Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling…"

Mitchell laughed, slapping his thigh for good measure. "I'm sure it'll be fine, Uhtred. But I'd speak with Sunny. Maybe she has an idea, and if she's right about your shooting, then perhaps you could help us out at the same time. Hmmm… No point in asking if you've ever killed a man before."

"No idea if I have or not. But I'll admit to having some skill. Maybe it was just a natural talent?"

"I don't know. But from what Sunny was saying in the bar last night, you definitely have training. And it appears to have stuck in that brain of yours, as even though you may have forgotten the training itself, it was all natural instinct."

Grabbing my hat and weapons from the bedroom I'd been allowed to stay in, I wandered outside into the already unbearable heat. It was no surprise to see few people around, though I was left to wonder just how people managed to work in such conditions, or how anyone managed to scratch a living in such a desolate place. I had only been there for little for a day, well a day awake, and I was already finding myself eager to leave.

But I didn't want to leave just yet. I had an inkling that Sunny was worried about that Powder Ganger gang she had mentioned the previous day, and I wondered if she wanted my help, whether to protect the town or even confront them. Protecting the town wasn't such a problem. But I knew without having to give it more than a few seconds thought that confronting them was probably a very bad idea. I'd just woken up having been shot in the head. I didn't particularly want to suffer another bullet in the head. Or anywhere else.

Walking into the saloon, the first thing to gain my attention was the fact it was nearly silent. Looking to the right, I noticed two people at a nearby table, who looked in my direction and one of them slowly shook their head. Moving my head to the left, I noticed a man standing at the bar, leaning forward, pointing at a woman behind the bar. I had no idea what was going on, but when he reached forward and grabbed her by the front of her shirt, it was a subconscious decision to stride forward, and before I even contemplated what I'd done, my pistol was at his temple.

"Unhand her," I demanded, surprising even myself by the growl in my tone.

"Who the fuck are you?"

I made sure he felt the cool metal press against his skin. "I said unhand her."

"You're making a big mistake. You don't want to do this."

"I will not ask you again. So I'm going to count backwards from three. If I reach zero, a bullet will enter your head. Would you like me to start counting?"

"You're dead, you hear…"

"Three."

"You…"

"Two."

"Who…"

"One." He unhanded her, glancing to see her take a couple of steps back. "Good decision. Now, what you are going to do is leave any weapons you have on the bar here, then I am going to escort you from the premises. If you deviate from the path towards the door outside, I will put a bullet in one of your legs. If you reach for anything that you think you can use as a weapon, I will put a bullet in your arm. And if you decide to be smart and mouth off at me, I'll put a bullet in your head. Now, nod silently if you understand."

He nodded.

I took a couple of steps back, though the weapon remained level at his head, watching as he placed a knife and a pistol on the bar. He then grew a brain and held his arms wide as he stepped back then turned towards me I stepped back myself then gestured with my pistol towards the door. He walked past, wisely heading straight for the door and outside, following him until he was at least a dozen paces away. That's when he grew a pair and turned around.

"You're dead. You hear me!"

I just gestured with the pistol towards the road leading out of town. "Off you go. Don't come back."

It was only when he disappeared from view that my hand started to shake, holstering my pistol and holding my hands out, seeing the right shake a lot more than the left. "Hmmm. Adrenaline?" My heart beat was fine, and I hadn't feel an ounce of concern or worry while dealing with him. It was a strange feeling.

Walking back inside the saloon, everyone inside was still silent, and I couldn't help notice they watched me warily. Well, all except Sunny, who I hadn't even noticed, but she looked my way and smiled, and Trudy behind the bar, who still looked rather unsettled by events. I took a seat at the bar, watching as she wiped her hands on her apron, took a deep breath, and returned a smile. I'm not entirely sure whether it was completely sincere, but I could sense that was at least relieved.

"Well, I guess I should thank you for sorting all that out. But I have a feeling your reaction may have exacerbated the situation."

"What do you mean?"

I was joined by Sunny at the bar. "You see, the fella you just threatened is Joe Cobb. He's part of the gang that's taken over the nearby correctional facility," Sunny explained.

"He's not just part of the gang. He's one of their leaders, as far as I know," Trudy added.

"He was threatening you. I couldn't just stand aside and let him do whatever he wanted."

"I'm Trudy," she said, offering her hand, "I don't think I introduced myself properly last night."

Shaking it, I added, "I was always going to step in. Though, to be honest, I did it without thinking."

Trudy and Sunny shared an obvious glance, before Trudy continued. "Well, I have no doubt Cobb has your number now, friend. But you may also be just the help we need, as I just know that he and his gang will now seek retribution."

Before asking what the situation was about, she offered me a drink. Checking the time on my omni-tool, I figured it wasn't too early to enjoy a tipple, and after receiving a glass of amber liquid, I asked, "Okay, explain away."

"For some reason, Cobb and his Powder Gangers want to get their hands on someone called Ringo. He's a caravaneer…"

"A what?"

"He's a trader, working for a company called Crimson Caravan. They trade across all the towns and cities in and around New Vegas."

"Okay, why do they want Ringo?"

"Cobb and his gang robbed and assaulted him, and no doubt they want to get their hands on him to finish the job."

"Well, I hope you're not considering doing that." Trudy looked insulted, so I raised a hand to stall a retort. "I figured you wouldn't. Just wanted to make sure. So, the question is, where is Ringo? And what do we do now?"

Trudy and Sunny shared another glance. I noticed Sunny nod her head out of the corner of my eye. "Ringo is currently in hiding, at the abandoned building next to Mitchell's house. Cobb has no idea he's there, but knows he hasn't left."

"They're going to come back, Trudy. And they're going to come in numbers next time," Sunny stated, "It's time to end this."

"We can't go to war against a gang, Sunny."

"It won't be war. We simply defend the town. I'm sure our new friend here would be willing to help?" She looked at me, pleading with her eyes. "Right?"

I looked between Sunny and Trudy. Even Trudy appeared desperate for my help. I couldn't help scratch my bald head. "Look, I'll help, but I have only just woken up after taking a bullet to the head."

"We understand, but you're shooting was something else entirely," Sunny said.

"And the way you handled Cobb. You had absolutely no fear whatsoever. When you had the pistol at his temple, your hand didn't move at all. Completely cool and calm," Trudy added.

"So, what do you say? Will you help us?" Sunny asked. She didn't just ask. She was pleading for my help. And I knew I had to say yes. Leaving Goodsprings on their own, for some reason, just wouldn't have sat right with me. _Does this make me a good person? Will helping them provide, I don't know, karma?_

I nodded. "Okay."

Both women sighed with relief. "Good. Sunny, take our new friend here and do your usual patrol and report if any of Cobb's men approach the town. I'll go speak to Ringo and some of the townsfolk. We're not letting Ringo nor this town fall to those Powder Gangers."

"If I was them, I'd attack at night. They'd anticipate most of us being asleep, or drunk in the bar," I stated.

"Then we'd better get ready," Sunny said.

After grabbing my rifle from Mitchell's house, Sunny and I walked towards the end of the road leading out of Goodsprings, perching ourselves on a boulder and kept watch of the main road. There was no road traffic. Not a single soul walked by the entire time we sat there, which ended up being well past midday. Sunny and I didn't particularly talk about much. I could have asked a million and one questions, but I figured she probably wouldn't have had answers to most of them, as I was still a stranger to the people in town.

I occasionally stood up and walked closer to the correctional facility. Never close enough to come under fire, but I had little doubt they would have noticed me. A blue jumpsuit would have stood out like a beacon in the desert. But no-one took a pot shot at me, and anyone I could see moving within the grounds either didn't look in my direction, or didn't care about my presence. I counted around half a dozen people in the grounds itself, another couple in watchtowers, but the concern was the buildings, having no idea how many people were lurking inside.

I reported back to Sunny what I had seen. "I hope Trudy has managed to recruit at a few people. We won't hold off that many people with only two or three of us," Sunny muttered.

"I have a pistol and rifle. Just make sure we have plenty of ammo. Do you have anything else we can use?"

"What do you mean? Explosives?"

"Yeah."

"No luck, I'm afraid." She pointed at the facility. "But they probably do."

"Shit, that's not what I wanted to hear. That could make things tricky." Looking around, I jerked my head backwards. "Come on, we should probably have at least some sort of plan for if…"

"When, Uhtred. Trudy is right about one thing. Cobb will want revenge for embarrassing him in such a manner."

"Okay, a plan for when they attack."

I realised quite quickly there wasn't a whole lot we could do. Sunny had a few rifles, but they were nothing special. Many of the townsfolk had one weapon at most, and many were not in particularly good condition. There was plenty of ammo to go around, so that was something. I helped put up one or two barricades on the road that would lead to the saloon, as I figured that would be where we would make our stand.

As for Trudy, she'd convinced Ringo to join in our defence, and she'd roped in at least five other people. Trudy herself had a shotgun and was going to join in the defence. Sunny and I discussed where we should position people and any ideas on how to stop them, but without explosives, it would be a case of filling them with as many bullets as possible. If we killed enough of them, they'd probably wilt and disappear. As a final piece of help for me, Sunny found me a dark coat to wear, that would help cover my rather bright blue vault suit.

We all took a quick shot of alcohol once the sun disappeared, I guess many of the others for liquid courage. I couldn't remember, but I had a feeling I'd done something like this before. The thought of killing my fellow man didn't seem to bother me too much, though maybe it was because they would be trying to kill myself or my new friends in return.

Heading outside, I was at the first barricade, around thirty or so metres from the saloon, with barricades at twenty and ten metres from the saloon. If I needed to, I'd slowly fall back. Sunny took position with me, everyone else taking position behind.

It was a clear night, with the sky lit up by a million and one stars, the moon full and bright. It wasn't like daytime, but it was enough that we could see at least a little bit. Occasionally lifting my rifle, I'd peer down the sights and see if I could see anyone approaching.

The minutes and what felt like hours drifted by. I know my concentration started to waver, as did Sunny's. We remained quiet, trying not to make too much noise, and another check of my Pip-Boy showed the time as approaching midnight.

"Do you think they'll come?" Sunny whispered.

It was twenty minutes later that we received our answer. Even in the darkness, your senses will pick up movement. Or perhaps sound carries further in the silence. Or maybe it was an in built sixth sense that just realised someone or a group of people was approaching our position. Lifting my rifle again, I noticed at least a trio of people walking forward slowly, crouching down so they didn't look as big, probably not to present a large target.

"Contacts. Three of them. Two at eleven o'clock, one at midnight," I whispered.

"I've got two more at two o'clock. How far?"

"Twenty metres and closing. Countdown to five, then open fire."

Upon the first pull of the trigger, war came to Goodsprings. The first bullet I fired went through the throat of the man I aimed at, watching blood spurt from the wound as he dropped to the ground. _He'll be dead in seconds._ The man who had been beside him immediately dropped to the ground and returned fire, listening to the bullets hit the barricade. The other man who had been in my vision had only taken a knee, so I lined up and fired, aiming for his legs. The first bullet missed, watching dust kick up from the ground, but the second went as aimed, hearing him cry out as the bullet went straight through.

Then there was an explosion behind us. "Dynamite!" I heard someone cry from behind us.

I figured they knew Sunny and I were behind the barricade, but I didn't want to exactly give away our position. We still had space and time. The man who had hit the deck was now moving again, crouching down low. He zig-zagged as he moved, so he appeared to have at least a little common sense, but I just kept him in my sight, waiting for him to stop. As soon as he did, I fired, and he dropped.

"Time to move, Sunny," I said quietly. She fired a final time, and we slowly moved back to the next barricade. "You get both your guys?" I wondered.

"If they're not dead, they're not going anywhere."

There was another explosion, this time off to our right, so I assumed they still didn't know where we were. We had stopped firing, waiting again for them to appear. I was left wondering how many there were. We'd taken down five already, unsure if anyone else had hit someone. I looked for any sign of someone throwing dynamite, looking for any sign of a spark flying through the air.

"Uhtred," Sunny whispered, "I think I have him."

"Where?" I asked as another stick exploded. They were getting closer.

"One o'clock. Behind a boulder. I just saw a stick thrown and tracked the spark. Five metres in front of the barricade where we were."

"Okay, cover me. I'll need to get in close."

Leaving my rifle where it was, I took the pistol from its holster, checked I had a full clip, then moved quickly. I used the darkness to my advantage, thankful for the dark coat Sunny had given me, and I think the hat I wore kept the moonlight off my bald head. But that didn't stop me almost stumbling into one Powder Ganger, only surviving by the fact I saw and fired at him first. It wasn't a good shot, as I only hit him in the shoulder, but it was enough to spin him to the ground. Closing in, I had no problem putting a bullet in the back of his head.

Another shot caused me to hit the dirt, though I realised it came from behind me, not in front. Getting to my feet quickly, I found myself at the original barricade, looking for the boulder Sunny mentioned. _Ah, there it is… And there is definitely someone behind it._ Practically crawling to the boulder, I picked up a jagged rock, testing its weight. I wanted to do this as silently as possible, as I knew there were plenty more Powder Gangers around.

He never knew I was coming, as I came in at a different angle, seeing he was busy peering over the boulder, getting ready to throw another stick of dynamite. He only heard me coming at the last second, not even managing to utter a word before I slammed the rock into the side of his head. He went down immediately, but he wasn't dead. At least, he wasn't dead yet.

Another two hits finished the job, noticing the rock glistened with blood, even in the darkness. Throwing the rock away, I then figured I'd sow some confusion into the rank. "Open fire!" I yelled.

It probably wasn't the brightest idea I'd had in the two days since I'd woken up, but the Powder Gangers opened fire, and that would have let my companions know where they were in the darkness. And they returned fire. I circled around the first barricade, calling out to Sunny that I was returning. Letting everyone know it was me, I joined her at the barricade, picked up my rifle, and we headed back to the last barricade. Trudy was there with another couple of people. The only place to go after this would be the saloon itself.

The Powder Gangers got close. Closer than I would have liked. But although a couple of people were hit, no-one on our side died during the battle of Goodsprings. And once I lined up Joe Cobb in my sights, and put a bullet through his head, the Power Gangers broke. There was no honour, as we chased them down, the people of Goodsprings having their revenge on at least a couple more, but I think about three or four of them got away. Trudy eventually called everyone back, trying to reassert some control.

There was no point checking the bodies while it was still dark, suggesting we leave them for the morning. Everyone agreed. A couple of the townsfolk said they would keep watch, just in case anyone got ideas of returning, as the rest of us headed into the saloon. I could see Sunny was a little bit jumpy, while a few others were nervous wrecks. Ringo wouldn't shut up, but I figured it was just adrenaline, so I didn't say anything.

Trudy opened the bar, free drinks all around. Everyone was sensible, only having one or two at most.

"I can't believe that worked," Sunny muttered a little later.

I just yawned, suddenly feeling rather tired. "It's always best to keep plans simple. If you over-complicate matters, that just means the chance of mistakes."

"If it wasn't for the memory loss, Uhtred, you would think you'd have done this before."

I could only shrug. "It's possible, but I just don't know."

"What do we do with all the bodies?" Trudy wondered.

"We have a cemetery," Sunny replied, only half-joking.

"We'll round them up tomorrow, strip them of any supplies they have." I noticed one or two looks. "Look, if I'm going to end up wandering all over the place, I'm going to want more than a simple vault suit. So I'll take what I can, then I might head to the correctional facility. If they were living there, I can only imagine they'll have more supplies there. And if any of them are dumb enough to have remained there, then I'll take care of them too."

"When do you plan on going?" Sunny asked.

"Well, it's now…" I looked at my Pip-Boy, "Rather late, so I doubt I'll get up early enough later to make a start. So I guess I'll be in Goodsprings for at least one more day."

It was later still by the time I walked through the front door of Mitchell's house, surprised to see the old man still sitting up in the main room, explaining that it was hard to sleep when a battle was going on outside. After explaining briefly what happened, I headed to bed to grab a few hours' kip before helping clean everything up.

Gathering up all the bodies the next day was rather grisly business, unsurprised to see one or two locals lose their breakfasts. Finding the gang member who'd been hurling dynamite behind the boulder showed how brutal I had been with the rock, half his head being caved in, though the blood had dried, a large pool of it having mixed into the dirt and sand. Finding the body of Joe Cobb, the hole through his forehead was small, but the back of his head was a complete mess.

As we gathered up the bodies, I started stripping certain things. In particular, I noticed they wore body armour so I checked each body, looking for some that was in the best condition. Considering I'd shot Cobb in the head, I took his, finding it was a pretty good fit, though a little snug. Another body had arm protectors, another had leg protectors, while a third had a good pair of walking boots. I didn't take everything, making sure there was plenty enough for the locals to take too.

Once we'd taken what we wanted, someone grabbed a cart, and after piling up the bodies, we took them to the cemetery. A large hole had already been dug, so it was a case of simply throwing the bodies in and covering it all up once we were done. As soon as the dirt had been patted down, with no sign of what might have lain underneath, we turned and headed back to town.

"What are you going to do now?" Sunny asked back at the saloon.

"I need to find Victor. Apparently he has information I need."

"He should be around somewhere. If he's not wandering the town, he'll be at his shack. It's just around the corner."

I found Victor, hopeful he could tell me something, anything, about the night I'd been shot. But, of course, I'd learned in the three days since waking up that life was never that easy. There was something unnerving about the robot. I couldn't quite put my finger on what made me uncomfortable, but I had a feeling he knew a lot more than he told me.

He couldn't tell me who shot me. He couldn't tell me why I was shot. He couldn't tell me anything about who I was and how I'd ended up in Goodsprings. Even his story about finding and digging me out of the grave didn't quite ring true, though I still thanked him for doing it.

The robot then asked what I intended to do, which made me even more suspicious. _Why does a robot want to know what I'm up to?_ But figuring it was harmless, I said I would head south towards Primm, and go from there. I had to pick up the trail of whoever shot me, and figuring they wouldn't head directly north, considering it was meant to be dangerous, that meant they would have headed south. That was the hope, anyway.

The saloon was rather empty that night, I assumed most townsfolk remaining at home to rest and relax, not having to worry about a gang tearing through town. I enjoyed a final drink with Trudy and Sunny, who remained thankful for the help the previous night, and surprised me further by handing me a small bag. I looked in it to see a canteen, with three bottles of water, bottle caps, a little food, and also a sheathed knife.

"Thank you," I said, "I'm not sure what else to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Trudy said, "All of us should be thanking you. I know Ringo does."

"Where is he?"

"He's up at the abandoned building. He said he'll take a couple of days, then he'll head back to Crimson Caravans."

"I'll be leaving first thing tomorrow. I might have a quick check of the correctional facility, but other than that, I'll head straight for Primm."

Holding out her hand, Trudy wished me good luck, and hoped that I would eventually find whoever it was that shot me. Sunny gave me a quick hug, leaving me surprised and she looked embarrassed after doing it. Downing one last drink, I wished them both good luck too, before heading back to Mitchell's house. I headed straight to bed, figuring out how to set an alarm on the Pip-Boy, waking up just as the sun was rising. Mitchell rose with me, and after I'd dressed and grabbed all my gear, we shook hands.

"Can't thank you enough for everything, doc."

He waved a hand dismissively. "You'd have done the same for me. And you've done enough for this town as it is."

"I couldn't just walk away."

"No, I guess you couldn't. Perhaps that is a glimpse of the person you once were?"

"It's possible."

Walking to the front door, we shook hands once again. "Well, good luck to you, Uhtred. I would suggest staying out of trouble, but I have a feeling trouble will end up finding you eventually."

I chuckled as I wished him goodbye, walking out of Goodsprings, figuring there was a good chance that I'd never return.

And, of course, the good doctor was absolutely right. My life was nothing but trouble.


	4. Chapter 4 - One Man Army

If I thought Goodsprings was a dry, dreary and desolate place, it was paradise compared to what met my eyes upon turning right at the end of the road, joining the highway that led south. Calling it a dustbowl would have offended anywhere else called a dustbowl. It left me staggered as to how anything managed to survive. It wasn't just the unbearable heat. It was the complete lack of vegetation, and dare I say it, water. There was next to no colour. Just varying shades of yellow and brown.

I wasn't sad to leave Goodsprings behind. I still had no idea where I was going, who I was following or what I was even really doing, but I thought about it as I walked, and figured I could just ask questions along the way. From what I could gather from conversations at the saloon, there was no chance that those responsible for shooting me would have headed north, so there was a good chance I would be following them. Quite a few days behind, but I had an idea of what questions to ask. _I was a courier. I carried a chip. The man who shot me wore a checker suit. There was at least half a dozen of them._ Then I shook my head. _That is absolutely fuck all to work with. But who knows?_

The heat built slowly through the morning, and by the time the giant rollercoaster of Primm was in clear view, I was sweating profusely, and was being careful in not immediately draining my canteen of all its water. It would have been after midday by the time I reached the outskirts of Primm, and I thought it was very quiet. The road veered off to the right, and I could see a flag in the distance, so figuring there might be people there, I stopped following the highway.

Approaching what looked like a barricade, I think my appearance startled the lone trooper on guard. "Holy… Have you just come form up north?"

I thumbed behind me. "Goodsprings, in fact."

He nodded. "Well, I can give you one piece of advice, stranger. Turn around and head back. There's nothing for you here in Primm."

"What makes you say that?"

"I wouldn't even know where to begin." Then he seemed to take me in. The hat. The coat. The body armour. The pistol at my hip and the butt of my rifle no doubt appearing at my back. "What are you? Some sort of drifter? Mercenary?"

"A courier, actually."

That made him laugh. "You're well-armed for a courier."

"The roads are dangerous. Can't be too careful."

He nodded again. "True. True. Well, I tell you what. If you want to continue onwards, I can't stop you. The NCR…"

"Ah, so you're the NCR?" He appeared surprised by my lack of knowledge, so I clarified, pointing at my temple. "Amnesia. I have no memories from before three days ago."

"Really? Damn, that's a whole load of bad luck. Well, NCR – New California Republic. And while we're here to help the likes of Primm, to be honest, stranger, we don't have the men available to deal with the situation that's developed here. Heard of the Powder Gangers?" I nodded. "They've taken over the hotel and we simply can't flush them out."

"I've just helped Goodsprings fight off another part of their gang."

"You have?" I nodded again. He thumbed back towards the flag. "You'll find Lieutenant Hayes back there. You're only one man, but hell, if you've already taken on the Powder Gangers and won…"

"I'm after information too."

"Hayes will be your man for that too. Not sure if anyone is still alive on the other side of the bridge."

Few buildings remained standing on this side of Primm, particularly compared to the opposite side. There were mounds of rubble and some facades of what may have once been commercial or residential buildings. I followed the street to the end, where I found a trio of tents. Two of them were empty. In the third, I found Lieutenant Hayes. He was a fountain of positivity. _If these guys are a reflection of the NCR, how are they apparently so powerful?_

Our conversation was interesting from the aspect that he was not prepared to lift a single finger to help the people of Primm, though the longer he explained, particularly in response to my rather intense questioning, the more I did at least understand. But I certainly didn't agree, particularly if the townsfolk of Primm were being held hostage.

"You're more than welcome to try," Hayes suggested.

"What? By myself?"

He just shrugged. "From what you've told me, you mustn't be a bad shot with that rifle. You've dealt with this gang before, so know what to expect. And, to be honest, one man entering the building might catch them by surprise, rather than me sending an entire troop."

I didn't particularly buy that explanation at all, but I knew he wasn't going to budge. Primm was on its own unless someone was willing to step forward to try and help. "Do you know where they are?"

"They're holed up in the Bison Steve Hotel. Or most of them are. We see occasional patrols. We take pot shots at them. Managed to kill or wound one or two. But that just leads to retribution against the townsfolk, so we stopped doing it after the third civilian was thrown from the roof."

Checking my Pip-Boy, it was still very early afternoon. I figured I could at least scope out the hotel, see how many were on patrol, and go from there. I thought doing this solo verged on suicide, and wondered if I shouldn't just keep moving. But just like helping the people of Goodsprings, something deep within was telling me that it wasn't just a case of that I should help, but that I must help.

"Okay, let me take a look around and I'll see if doing it solo is possible."

"The bridge across is mined, so you'll need to find another way across."

I eventually did, though it was a complete pain in the arse. _They'd better remove the bloody things if I manage to do this._ I took the rifle from my back and walked forward slowly, my eyes constantly searching left, ahead, right. The entire town seemed to be deserted. It was a little unnerving, particularly as I knew there were people around. Heading to my left towards a couple of shacks, one was completely locked up tight, but the second one revealed what happened. A pair of bodies hacked apart, blood leaking through the mattress onto the floor. Turning away, I quickly realised I was in the joint home and office of the sheriff. _Well, that's another problem for the town to solve._

Walking close to the wall of the large building, I stopped at the corner and chanced a peek around. Two people were patrolling the front of the hotel. They were not dressed as the Powder Gangers I had helped deal with at Goodsprings. Most importantly, they were not wearing body armour. Gazing to my left, I could see a lone figure walking along the rollercoaster track. _I will have to deal with him eventually_. Taking a knee, I lined up the figure on patrol walking in my direction.

And I fired immediately. He went down with a shot to the chest, and that gained the attention of the other figure. He was only aimed with a pistol, though he opened fire in my direction. I watched bullets flick up dust from the ground, but the aim was poor, and while distracting, I simply lined him up in my sites. The idiot had no sense of self-preservation, and I took him down with another shot to the chest.

I heard another crack of a rifle, turning to see the figure on the rollercoaster track had me in his sights. I immediately moved, charging forward to close the distance between myself and the hotel. Crashing into the wall, I slid along it, stopping where it ended. The figure had watched my progress, and he opened figure again. _Three shots. He has two more._ Another shot flicked some masonry into my face, and chancing a peek led to his final shot.

Knowing he would have to reload, I was out of cover in a flash, lifting my rifle in his direction. So busy reloading his rifle, he stupidly ignored what I was doing, so by the time he returned his attention in my direction, I'd already lifted my rifle, and I know his eyes met mine as I fired. He'd barely lifted his rifle by the time the bullet went into his face.

Turning and still crouching, I made my way to the two bodies. Both of them were now dead, left impressed by the accuracy of my shots. I checked them over, finding some ammo, which I pocketed, while also grabbing the 9mm pistol. I figured that heading indoors would lead me to using a pistol, not a rifle, and I thought having one in each hand might not be such a bad idea. Storing the rifle on my back again, I lifted both pistols and had a quick practice, though I didn't fire. _Feels quite natural actually._ Looking at the front doors of the Bison Steve Hotel, I knew going in the front door would be a very stupid idea. Then I looked right and noticed another building.

Figuring bursting in wouldn't be the best idea, I slowly opened the door, pistol forward as I waited for someone to open fire. But it remained quiet, sliding myself through the gap, met by slot machines and a few people wandering around. They looked like civilians, so I immediately lowered my pistol. I was closing the door behind me when I heard footsteps approach.

"You don't look like one of them." Turning to look at him, I knew I was in the right place as I noticed he recognised me. "The courier?"

"You know me?"

"I recognise you, certainly. How could I not? One of the strangest jobs I've ever been involved in sorting out. Name's Johnson Nash. I run the Mojave Express."

I removed my hat, making sure he saw the scars. "Well, that strange job ended up with me being shot and nearly killed. So what can you tell me about it?"

The eyes widened in surprise, if not a little fear. _Yep, definitely appear to be intimidating. He's ready to shit himself._ "Look, I'll tell you what I can, but all the paperwork is at my office. And I'm not leaving here until that gang is taken care of."

"I'm looking for the people who shot me. You know anything about that? They were apparently heading this way."

"You'll want to talk to the Deputy. Unfortunately for you, the Powder Gangers have him. And I can only assume the sheriff is dead?"

"I found the body of he and his wife. Do they have other hostages in addition to the Deputy?"

"I'm not sure if they have anyone else. And if you want to speak to anyone, it's the Deputy."

"Don't suppose anyone in here could back me up?"

He turned slightly and gestured. "None of us are armed. We're simple civilians."

There was no point arguing with him. He was elderly himself, and I quick glance suggested that they were definitely not armed, those pacing around appearing to be scared more than anything. "Okay, I'll let you know when it's safe. Stay here for now."

Taken care when exiting the casino, I looked left and right, but noticed no-one approaching, the pair of bodies remaining where they had fallen. I crossed the gap between the casino and hotel quickly, approaching the front doors to the hotel. _No, this is a stupid idea. There must be another way in._ Turning back to my left, I noticed a collapsed section of the track led up to an elevated section. Wondering if that might be a good idea, I climbed it carefully, ending up in position on a ledge above the door. Continuing along, I came to another corner and stopped, noticing another guard patrolling the track. He hadn't noticed my approach, so I put a bullet in him, watching him stagger and then eventually fall over the side to the ground below.

Rounding the corner, I found another entrance point. Even better news, it looks unguarded. Barely used. _Perfect._ Storing my rifle again, I took out both pistols and, after taking a deep breath, slowly opened the door, asking it not to make too much if any noise, before I slid inside into the darkness.

Someone must have got an electricity source flowing, as there was a little light, though the hallways were shrouded in darkness. The building had obviously seen better days, collapsed sections of ceiling and walls. But what helped me were the voices I could hear. If not voices, then laughter. _So they might be patrolling, but I doubt they'd believe anyone would attempt this._

I checked each room I passed, making sure I didn't leave any gang members behind me. The last thing I wanted was a bullet in the back. But once I stumbled on the first gang member, putting a pair of bullets in his chest for good measure, all hell broke loose. I kept to the shadows and stayed low, listening for voice and footsteps. The first gang member rounded the corner, so I put a bullet in his leg and one in his head once he fell to the ground. The second gang member was slightly more circumspect, peeking around the corner. But I was quicker, and put a bullet through his head too. Even in the darkness, I saw the mist of blood appear out the back of his head.

I could hear shouting now, even more footsteps as no doubt the gang members knew they were being infiltrated. I would have chuckled at their thoughts that was the NCR, and not a lone… well, idiot. I couldn't remember a thing before Goodsprings. Taking on the Powder Gangers there hadn't been so foolish as I had back-up. I was now infiltrating a hotel, filled with an unknown number of enemy, armed with a couple of pistols and a rifle.

Keeping silent, I let the gang members let me know where they were. If they were smart, they would have remained as silent as I did. But they were too busy yelling threats in my general direction, so with a pistol in each hand, I figured out where they generally were and got to work.

I didn't walk out of there completely uninjured. I was winged by one bullet, left bleeding from my upper left arm. And I had my first taste of hand to hand combat, fighting off one gang member armed with a cleaver, who did manage to sneak up on me. It took brute strength to stop him cutting off parts of my body, and I took grim satisfaction in managing to disarm him, though the spray of blood across my face when I used the cleaver on him in return did catch me by surprise.

Somehow I managed to find a stairway leading down, and I followed it until I hit ground level. Exiting near what appeared to be a non-working elevator, I came out behind a lone gang member. Unsheathing my knife, I crept up behind him, clamping a hand over his mouth as I slit his throat, lowering him to the ground and dragging him into a dark corner.

Figuring that the entrance was to my left, I chanced a quick look, noticing a trio of gang members watching the front door. I pulled back slowly, not wanting to face them just yet. Noticing a door off to my left, I busted the lock and moved on through into a dark corridor. Turning right, I noticed another gang member ahead with his back to me. So I did the same thing, making short work of him. And it was there that I noticed a man tied up with a cloth covering his mouth. I put a finger to my lips as I then dragged him backwards in the corridor as quietly as possible.

Removing the cloth, I asked, "You're Deputy Beagle?" He nodded. "Good. You have information I need. But we need to get out of here first."

"I couldn't agree more," he whispered.

"Grab whatever weapon is on the body there and follow me."

I approached what appeared to be a dining hall. There was at least half a dozen people, but my eyes immediately found what I figured was the leader, thinking they were considering they appeared to be armed with some sort of flamethrower. Taking the rifle from my back, I lined up the tank and wasted no time by shooting it.

The explosion was enormous, left surprised that the entire building didn't come down on us. The person holding the flamethrower dissolved in an instant, with three more blown away by the explosion, never to rise again. By the time the other two reacted, I'd already shot one, the Deputy taking care of the other.

Ordering him to hold back, we waited for anyone else to come storming through, as no doubt the explosion would have caught everyone else's attention in the hotel. Two came flying around a corner to be met by bullets from myself and the Deputy. The third one appeared in our vision for a second before diving back into cover.

"Leave now and you won't die!" I called.

"You're not serious?" the Deputy hissed into my ear.

"All his friends are dead. He won't survive five minutes."

There was silence for at least a minute, no doubt the lone gang member thinking over his options. Finally, he called, "Do I have your word I can leave?"

"Yes. You probably won't survive out there anyway, but I've killed enough people in here. Go now, and take your chances out there."

"Okay. I'm leaving now."

I gave him a couple of minutes before I stood up and walked forward. The scene in what appeared to have once been a dining room was gruesome, yet it felt slightly familiar. I'm not sure why. It may have been from a memory that was buried someone in my brain, wanting to be exposed but whatever made my brain work was faulty. Body parts littered the ground, while the members who had been caught out by the explosion had been horrifically burned. There was a whiff of cooked flesh in the air.

"We should get out of here," the Deputy muttered. A glance at him suggested he was about to be sick if we didn't. Once back outside in the fresh air, the sun was starting to set as the Deputy thanked me for the rescue, amazed that I'd done it all by myself. "So what did you need to know, stranger?"

I removed my hat to show him the scars. "I was shot and left to die by someone. Man in a checkered suit. Headed this way a few days back. Probably had some companions."

"He didn't just have companions. They were Great Khans." I looked at him blankly. "You ever heard of them?"

"No. But there's a long story as to why I haven't. Okay, so I assume the man is no longer here with his companions. Do you know where they were going?"

"Yes. I overheard them talking about heading to Nipton. That's a little south and east of here. After that, they mentioned Novac."

"Are there signs leading me to these places at least?"

"Just stick to the main roads. You might also come across the occasional NCR patrol. They might point you in the right direction."

"Okay, thanks."

I was ready to just leave when he called me back. "Wait, before you go, this town still needs help." I looked at him blankly, ready to say that it simply wasn't my problem. I'd already been delayed and helping out further would only delay me some more.

But there was that part of me said _You should help out. Help those who need it._ I didn't know if it was my brain or my conscience, but I knew I would have to listen to it. "Okay, let me talk to the old fella in the casino. He might have more information for me."

"My shack is on the other side of town. I'll be sitting outside once you're ready to talk."

Johnson was waiting for me inside the casino. He looked startled by my appearance, motioning to my face, and I figured it was probably blood. Likely from the gang member who'd attempted to take a body part of mine by cleaver. Waving away his concern, I asked him about the information he might have had for me. Leading me outside, we walked to the Mojave Express office and he managed to find a little paperwork.

"Had I worked for you before?"

"No. First job you'd ever done for me. Sorry, son, you're a relative stranger to everyone, it seems."

"Great," I muttered.

He looked through some paperwork, making the occasional noise, continuing to mention how strange the job was. "Know how I've mentioned the job was strange?" I nodded. "Three things. One. What you were given to carry. You were given a platinum chip. Looked just like the sort of thing you'd get in a casino. Another courier carried a pair of dice. Two. The job was given to me be… well, a robot."

"A robot? You mean one of those securitron things?"

"You know what they are?"

"I ran into one in Goodsprings. Apparently he'd been there for over a decade. Name was Victor."

The old man shrugged. "Robot never gave me his name. Spoke weird too. But it appeared harmless, and I took the job because the credits were, well, more than I receive in a month otherwise."

"And the third thing?"

The old man met my eyes. "I think you were set up, son. The courier originally tasked to do your job refused it once he saw your name next on the list. I'm not sure if he had an axe to grind or what, but he made sure it was you who carried the chip."

"Know who the man was?"

The old man shrugged again. "Nope. Just like you. Experience as a courier, never worked for me before."

"And you know nothing about the man in the checked suit or his friends?"

"Never saw them. I mean, why would they shoot a man in the head over a casino chip?"

"That's what I aim to find out." I had taken note of the machine lying on the desk. "What's with the small robot?"

"That piece of junk? I've been meaning to get rid of the stupid thing. Doesn't work. Nothing more than scrap metal."

I had a closer look at it. _Clearly malfunctioning. Maybe I could fix it?_ "If I fix it, can I take it?"

"You'd be doing me a favour, stranger."

"I'll leave it here for now. I'll come back later and see if I can get it working."

The sun had completely disappeared by the time I walked back outside, and was amazed at the drop in temperature, pulling my coat a little tighter as a chill wind started to blow. People had been around lighting fires in barrels placed around the town, as it appeared that any electricity that may have flowed into town didn't reach everywhere. Any street lamps that remained standing didn't appear to work.

I found the Deputy outside a shack on the other side of town, leaning back on a bench, sucking back a bottle of beer. _Don't blame him, to be honest._ He was polite enough to offer me one, which I accepted gratefully. We sat in silence for a few minutes. I was assuming he was just happy to still be alive, while I was starting to feel tired. It had been a long day on my feet, and I was left wondering where I was going to sleep.

"So, about this other thing," he stated after what must have been around ten minutes, "This town is going to need a sheriff. I'm figuring you won't want the job."

"Not at the moment. I have things to do."

"And I doubt the NCR are going to help unless it benefits them. I'm no sheriff, so that means we're going to need an outsider."

"I'm guessing you have an idea?"

He nodded, taking another sip of beer. "I heard rumour than an ex-sheriff had been locked up at NCRCF. That's the acronym for the correctional facility up the road."

"He's a Powder Ganger?"

"He might have joined them, but I believe if he's ex-law, then he probably hasn't. And I think he'd be the best choice. I'm not sure about everyone else here, but I like Primm being independent. The NCR can do what they want otherwise. If they want to keep the highways open, then good for them, and us too. But if no-one local wants the job, then someone with experience would be best."

"I've had a look at that correctional facility. I know I've just taken the hotel single-handedly, but that place will be ten times harder."

"So enlist the help of the NCR. Explain what you've done here, and I'm sure they'll suddenly find plenty of bodies to help out."

"Hmmm. They might go for it."

"Something to sleep on anyway. You have somewhere to stay tonight?"

"No."

"I have a spare mattress if you don't mind the floor."

"Well, I don't know if I've slept in worse places, but a mattress will be just fine."

We enjoyed another beer on the bench, not really talking about all that much. There was little point asking me about my life, considering I didn't remember a thing. The deputy, or just Beagle as he liked to be called, didn't share too many personal details either. He seemed like a good kid just trying to survive the harshness that was the Mojave.

The next morning, I headed back across to where the NCR had set up camp. The Lieutenant was surprised to see me again so soon, and was left speechless once I'd explained everything I'd done. Considering I was now in his good books, I then suggested what Beagle and I had discussed the night before. He spent a good minute considering it.

"You know; it might just work. If you've eliminated Powder Gangers attempting to take Goodsprings, and taken even more of them out here, then surely they've either pulled back to the facility, or we might even find it abandoned."

"So you're for it?"

"Fuck yes, I'm for it. We do this, we're all looking at promotions, and you will have a friend in the NCR. Hell, I'll make sure everyone up the chain knows who you are. Give me an hour to get the men together and then we'll march."

An hour later, and there were fifteen of us marching north, led by Lieutenant Hayes. This meant Primm had no NCR presence for the moment, but as the town had just been liberated, we were all confident that we could hit NCRCF and return, perhaps not within the day, but some of us would at least return by tomorrow. Hayes forced a quick pace, and we had to take out a small team of Powder Gangers on the way. We were lucky not to lose one of our own men thanks to booby traps that had been set up in and around their camp.

Approaching the turning for the facility, we ran into more Powder Gangers. Our troops simply fanned out and returned fire, the weaponry the NCR soldiers having at their disposal far superior to anything they had. Even my weaponry paled in comparison, my varmint rifle rather pathetic compared to their service rifles.

We didn't hit the facility straight away, circling around a rise, keeping the facility in view, as we wanted to understand the lay out of the facility. We could see four of the towers were currently occupied, though it was doubtful they had sophisticated weaponry. There were two men guarding the entrance, so they would have to be eliminated immediately. Another half dozen people were strolling the grounds within. And then there was however many were inside the buildings. That was the concern.

"Standard clearance," Hayes said, before he started pointing, "First, we take out the towers. Rodriguez. Mason. They're all yours. Second, the two at the front door. Once they're out of play, third, we start clearing. Grenades to clear the room before tactical insertions. Fourth, we take the yard, eliminating all resistance. Then we split. McGee, you will take a small team and clear the cell blocks. Shoot to kill, but not everyone in here may have joined. Some may have had no choice but to remain within the walls. If they're unarmed, or surrendering, don't kill them. Uhtred, you're with me and the rest. We'll take the command post. Everyone clear?"

I nodded as everyone else verbalised their understanding.

"Good. We'll hit them at sundown. They'll never know what hit them."


	5. Chapter 5 - Cass

I helped drag one of the two bodies backwards as the soldiers lined up, ready to infiltrate. I couldn't help notice that half his head was missing, blood and brains dripping on the ground, leaving a red trail. Again, it should have been an absolutely horrific sight, left heaving like Beagle had been in the hotel. But while, yes, it was horrifying, and absolutely disgusting, I simply looked away as I dumped the body to the side. I couldn't remember having seen similar sights, obviously, but the fact they didn't affect me wasn't concerning, but left me wondering what I had done before the memory wipe.

Hayes and one of his subordinates cooked a couple of grenades, opened the door, threw them in, before closing it again. Even from outside, you could hear the cries of concern before there were two explosion seconds later. Hayes took point and entered immediately. I was somewhere in the middle, knowing I probably wasn't going to even lift my weapon at the moment.

I was right, as there were a few short bursts of fire, and by the time I'd entered, any resistance had been eliminated, calls of 'clear' echoing back. We wasted little time moving on, pouring out into yard, hoping to catch them unaware. But they had obviously heard the noise from inside, and had taken up defensive positions. Being where I was, by the time I exited, two soldiers had already been wounded, while Hayes and the rest had spread out and were returning fire.

Staying in the doorway, covering those soldiers who chose to go out, I lined up one of the enemy and fired. Considering he wore only a pair of pants, the bullet left a small red hole in his chest and he dropped to the ground. Storing the rifle on my back, I withdrew my two 9mm pistols, one holstered, the other tucked into a pock of my coat. The gunfire was incessant as I ducked and ran forward, firing blindly in both directions, making sure I didn't stupidly shoot one of our soldiers in the back.

Men flowed out of both the cell blocks and the other building, Hayes yelling and perhaps even joking that it would soon make out jobs easier. With the firepower at our disposal, in particular the use of grenades, the gang members who had poured out of the cell block were soon either injured or dead, though those injured were soon put out of their misery, their injuries far too ghastly for medical treatment to make any difference.

With our backs apparently safe, Hayes ordered five to remain in the yard as the rest of us hit what Hayes pointed out was the administration block. Again, Hayes and a trio of soldiers cooked grenades and threw them in. Once we heard four explosions, it was the same as the first building, though this time the enemy was waiting. The first soldier who entered took a full shotgun burst in the chest, and I figured would have been dead by the time he hit the ground. That only incensed the NCR soldiers, as more grenades were cooked and thrown in, more explosions ripping through the building.

This time when entering, we were not met by a hail of bullets. Hayes quietly ordered for the fallen soldier to be taken outside as the rest of us moved in. We were all very careful, every corner of each room checked. Anyone dumb enough to point a weapon in our direction was immediately put down. I was surprised by the fact none of them tried to surrender, left thinking they were going to be executed anyway, so why not go down fighting.

Making our way upstairs, we found their leader in the Warden's office. There was no last stand as he simply raised his hands, finding at least half a dozen rifles pointing in his direction. "I surrender!" he cried.

Hayes looked ready to put him down immediately, but he knew he couldn't. But that didn't stop him from laying a cracking fist across his jaw, putting the man on the ground, dragging him by the collar around the desk. "Take him downstairs. We'll sort him out later. The rest of you, check this building, make sure it's absolutely clear, start checking for suppliers, dump them in the yard. Do the same with the cell blocks if McGee hasn't already done it. Uhtred, you stay with me."

Once everyone had left, I had to ask, "What do you need me for?"

He pointed at the terminal. "This belonged to the previous Warden, but it looks like it's been used recently. I want to know the bastard responsible for what happened here."

"You don't think it was who surrendered?"

Hayes shook his head. "No. I've been here before. I remember him. He was no leader. I have an inkling who it was, but I want confirmation of the name."

Sitting down in front of the terminal, I didn't have the password so I had to hack. Removing my hat, I laid it down by the terminal, scratched my still bald head, then tried hacking. From somewhere deep inside my frazzled mind, my fingers starting flying across the keyboard. I heard Hayes mutter, "Wow!" as I worked. It took a few minutes, and I made a number of errors, but nothing that locked the terminal, and I felt a sense of satisfaction when I leaned back and gestured to the screen.

Hayes clapped me on the shoulder. "You've just earned a shitload of caps for all this."

I vacated the seat, allowing Hayes to sit down as he searched for whatever he was looking for. It took barely a couple of minutes before he exclaimed, "Got it!" triumphantly.

"Found a name?"

"Samuel Cooke. I knew he would have been behind all this, that fucking son of a bitch." The name meant nothing to me, as Hayes continued. "That bastard waged a one-man war against the NCR for years." Hayes continued reading, and he scoffed a couple of minutes later. "And he had the warden completely fooled. 'Model prisoner', my fucking arse he would have been. He would have had the warden, the guards, everyone fooled. And the poor bastards all paid with their lives."

"Did he leave any notes as to where he's gone?"

"Just said he and those closest would be heading north. The guy who just surrendered, Eddie, was a nobody. If he wasn't taken with Cooke, he was obviously worthless. Cooke would only take those he considered completely loyal and trustworthy."

"Will the NCR try and hunt him down?"

Hayes got to his feet and shrugged. "That's for the higher-ups to decide. If he's near the Strip, then it becomes House's problem."

"Who?" He looked at me in surprise. I pointed to my head. "Amnesia."

"Oh, that's right. So, put simply… Mr. House. Runs New Vegas. That's about it."

"I thought the NCR…"

"Oh, the President of the NCR would love to have New Vegas under the umbrella. So would the Legion."

"The who?"

Hayes obviously couldn't help the laughter. "I wouldn't know where to begin with the Legion. To put it very simply, the Legion is the enemy. Ours, perhaps not yours, though I would suggest a couple of things. Don't trust them, and don't work for them. You do not want to owe the Legion anything." He gestured to the door. "Come on, we should get out of here. I'll have to send word to Camp McCarran. That's our HQ. The General will have to send men here."

The soldiers had cleared out the cell-blocks, and four men had surrendered in all. One was just who I was after, as although he had been handcuffed, he was being kept separate from the others. I asked for him to be released so I could speak to him. The soldier looked concerned, though Hayes nodded that it was okay.

"Thanks for that, stranger. But why the help?"

"I hear you're an ex-sheriff."

"You've heard right. Name's Meyers. What of it?"

"How would you like to be a sheriff again? There's a town down the road crying out for a man of law. I was told you would be a perfect candidate."

He made an obvious glance at the soldiers. "And how free would I be to work?"

"The NCR has a presence but doesn't run the town. As far as I know, you would be independent. Though you might have to work alongside the NCR to keep the road through Primm safe."

"Well, this is all well and good, but I'll need an official pardon."

Turning back to the crowd of soldiers, I waved over Hayes. Gesturing towards Meyers, I explained. "Meyers here could be the new sheriff of Primm."

"Seriously?"

"He used to be a sheriff, and I think it would be the best compromise. But he needs a pardon."

Hayes looked at Meyers for a moment. "Well, from what my men have told me, you were not armed and surrendered peacefully. But why the hell are you still here?"

Meyers shrugged. "I was imprisoned by the NCR. I figured remaining here to serve out my sentence would be better than going on the run."

"A man of integrity…" Hayes looked more impressed than he had thirty seconds before. "Well, if our new friend here thinks you're the best option, then quite frankly I'm not inclined to disagree. But I can't give you a pardon. Not officially, anyway."

"Where would he get one?" I asked.

"Well, unless you want to walk all the way to Camp McCarran, and trust me, you don't, then the Mojave Outpost south of Primm would be your best bet." Hayes looked at Meyers. "You can come with us for the moment and wait in Primm until we receive word of a pardon. Uhtred, what will you do?"

"I would like to stop in Goodsprings for a couple of things." I checked my omni-tool. "I doubt I'll make it back to Primm by nightfall, so I'll head back tomorrow morning."

"Very well. We'll wait, and then figure out the best way to get a pardon. Communication can be tricky, so you might have to walk to the outpost and back."

I just shrugged. "I have a feeling I'll be doing a lot of walking, no matter what I do."

Hayes left six of the men behind to keep guard of the three prisoners who remained. I walked out of the main gate, wondering if the soldiers would end up just putting a bullet in the three of them, simply for a peaceful life, or even a little vengeance for the lives that had been lost before. Whatever the case, it wasn't my problem.

Hayes, Meyers and the rest continued along the highway as I turned off to Goodsprings. Heading straight for Sunny's house, I was actually surprised when she opened the door. She was even more surprised, a broad grin forming. "Uhtred, well, if this isn't a surprise!"

"I know; I didn't think I'd be back this quickly either."

"So what has brought you back?" she asked, gesturing me inside. We took a seat each at the small table, offering a bottle of Sunset Sarsaparilla. I didn't know what it was, but my first sip had my taste buds dancing. Sunny laughed my obviously delighted reaction.

"Two things. One. The Powder Gangers won't be a problem anymore."

Eyebrows may have been raised. "Why's that?"

"Well, the group that splintered off and caused a whole load of trouble in Primm are now all dead. And those holed up at the correctional facility are now nearly all dead too. The NCR are back in charge."

"And you did all that?"

"Well, those in Primm I did, most of the time anyway. The NCR actually helped regarding the facility."

"I'm not sure what to say. I mean, that's pretty much guaranteed our safety. What was the second thing?"

I placed all the weapons I now carried. "I now have the varmint rifle you gave me. Two 9mm pistols. Two 10mm pistols. I could have grabbed even more, but I would have looked ridiculous, and I simply don't have enough space. What I would like is some sort of holsters that I can place under my coat, so I can withdraw either one or two pistols at once. Do you know anyone who could help?"

Sunny smiled. "I know just the person. She'd an artist with gecko hide. Follow me."

I was introduced to a woman named Mary five minutes later, and after explaining what I wanted, she said that I'd have what I wanted the next morning. She also offered some clothes that I could buy, for only a few caps. 'Better than wearing that damned vault suit,' she had said. I was inclined to agree, so purchased a shirt, jeans, belt and neckerchief, Mary suggesting I should take that as I was bound to need it on the open road eventually.

Night had fallen by the time we exited Mary's house, Sunny suggested we head to the saloon for a bite to eat and perhaps a drink or two. Considering I had to wait until the next morning to grab my holsters, I thought it was a good idea. The entire saloon was delighted to see me again, my hand left sore from all the handshakes before I finally sat down across from Sunny.

The food was at least edible, and filled a gap that had been growing since leaving NCRCF. Sunny and I enjoyed a couple of drinks, chatting about everything and nothing all at once. She enquired as to my investigation regarding who shot me, and I was able to fill her in with the few details I'd put together so far. She actually seemed disappointed that my investigation would take me further and further away. So it wasn't a surprise, when Trudy announced she was closing the bar for the night, that I had an invite of a nightcap back at Sunny's place.

I woke up the next morning and tried not to disturb her as I dressed. Covered by only a thin sheet, I couldn't help but appreciate the outline of her body, particularly as the sun filtered through the window, highlighting certain aspects that I had enjoyed the night before. She woke up as I was putting on my boots.

"You're not going to leave without saying goodbye, are you?"

"Of course not. But I need to get my things from Mary, and should get on the road as early as possible. It's going to be another long day, I think."

"Let me get dressed and I'll join you."

I paid Mary a few more caps than she had asked as the holsters she had designed were perfect. Taking off my coat, I tried the holsters, finding the pistols would be in perfect position for a quick draw if necessary. Otherwise, I wouldn't find them too bothersome when walking along, particularly with the body armour I still kept with me. Or, that's what I hoped, at least. With the four pistols in place, I donned my coat, looped the rifle strap around me as usual, thanked Mary for her work, and wandered back outside.

Sunny escorted me all the way to the highway. That was of little surprise considering the night before. Parting was always going to be awkward. A simple goodbye wasn't enough. A handshake would have been ridiculous. So I made the decision by embracing her and laying a soft kiss on her lips, wished her goodbye, before I turned and started the long walk towards Primm.

I did turn and look back as she watched me walk away. I waved as she returned the gesture, before she finally turned and started the short walk back home.

My first thought back out on the open road was if I would ever see her again.

* * *

"Sorry, Uhtred."

I tried to hold back the sigh, but I couldn't. "No, it's fine. If the radio won't work, it won't work."

"Stupid fucking…" Hayes trailed off, "Listen, you should get to the outpost in the matter of a few hours. Granted, you'll probably have to walk all the way back here with the pardon."

"As I said, I'll have to get used to walk around. I got here quicker than I expected so, if I make good time, I might even consider…"

Hayes shook his head. "Don't walk the roads at night." I couldn't help raise eyebrows. "Dangerous doesn't even begin to describe it. You've got raiders, bandits, legionaries and wildlife that will have no problem killing you in an instant."

"Okay, point taken. Avoid the roads at night."

"There is safety in numbers. If you find yourself some companions during your journey, then you might be okay." He paused and smirked. "Actually, with your shooting, Uhtred, I think you'd be more than okay."

"Right, I'd better get a wriggle on. Let Meyers know I'll be back as soon as I can."

Before I left, Hayes made sure I was well provisioned regarding ammunition for my pistols and rifle, while also giving me a few grenades. I thanked him for the help, figuring I was probably going to need them between Primm and outpost, knowing my luck anyway.

I've said this before, but it was hot out on the open road. Even the breeze, which was blowing stronger than the previous day, brought little relief, as it simply blew more hot wind into my face. And dust. And god only knows what else, so after a few minutes, I had to cover my mouth and nose with the neckerchief I'd purchased. I was left squinting, though, so figured I would probably have to invest in glasses eventually. _Or just take a pair from someone I kill._

I wasn't marching along, but I was exactly strolling either, keeping up a good pace, as I wanted to get to the outpost as soon as possible. But I was on constant alert, which was mentally draining, my eyes glancing left and right, looking for anything either man or animal who wanted to attack.

After walking for a good hour or so, a building appeared in the distance. A row of burned out cars and bikes were lined up in front of the building. When I was a couple of hundred metres away, I stopped as I could see something on the roof. A person keeping watch. I don't know how they hadn't seen me, but I crouched down and looked for cover, finding some bushes to my left a few metres ahead. Once behind them, I took out the binoculars the doctor had given me and took in what I could see.

One person kept watch on top of the building, while two more were waiting to what I assumed was attack, lurking behind a large sign, the writing having long since withered away. Taking the rifle from my back, I lined up the one on the roof first, figuring I could handle the two at my level with pistols. _Hmmm. Wish I had something that would magnify this. Or just a better rifle._ Once I felt comfortable, and confident I wouldn't miss, taking into account the wind direction and its strength, I fired.

Whoever it was took the bullet and fell from the roof. I didn't see them move again.

Of course, the crack of the rifle gained the attention of the other two, as I swung my rifle around towards them. One moved sideways while the other was walking straight towards me. _Well, that's just stupid._ After putting a bullet through their head, I tracked the second person. But they appeared to have at least half a brain, as they moved into cover and opened fire, forcing me to move, as the bush wasn't going to stop bullets.

Keeping an eye on where the enemy was, I prayed that my body armour would stop whatever bullets they were firing as I withdrew two pistols, took a deep breath and ran. Not straight at them, I'm not that stupid. But at an angle that I hoped would at least cause them to miss. I figured every so often, forcing them to remain in cover, and only stopped once I'd crashed into the side of the building.

"You're dead!" a voice called.

Ignoring the taunt, I made my way around the back of the building, finding no back way into the building, so I circled all the way around. The last enemy had moved from cover and was approaching the corner where they probably assumed I was still waiting. I raised my pistol and whistled, waiting for them to turn around before I fired.

Approaching the doors to what was a police station, I chanced a quick peek inside, noticing two more were waiting, both taking cover behind a desk each, so they knew I was there. Taking a grenade from where I'd attached them to my belt, I pulled the pin and counted down before throwing it in. As usual, there were screams before the explosion, entering immediately afterwards. One of the two was already dead, the second was wounded, and I wasted no time putting a bullet in their head.

I searched the rest of the station, finding at least half a dozen dead bodies in a cell at the back. A cursory check showed nearly all of them were traders, so I figured the people I'd just taken out had been robbing caravans along the route. _I thought the NCR was here to stop this shit happening?_ After finding some ammo, which I quickly put in my pockets, I checked over the bodies for anything worthwhile, not finding the pair of glasses I wanted, before I headed out.

Noticing something in the distance, the closer I got to the outpost, the more I realised that I was looking at an enormous statue. The road started to climb, which tired me more than I care to admit, surprised by the elevation considering I thought the Mojave was meant to be flat. The sun was starting to disappear by the time I reached the outskirts of the outpost, taking note of the statue, which was two figures appearing to shake hands. I had no idea what it was meant to represent, though a plaque underneath it explained it all.

I noticed pens holding strange looking animals, searching my mind for what they were called. Whatever they were, there were at least a couple dozen of them. And there was a rather large crowd of people hanging around, and I was left wondering what they were all doing. Figuring I might as well ask, I spoke to one of the traders, who was in a rather bad mood, telling me that they were being held because of the presence of the Legion.

The outpost did appear to be open to civilians, and I asked for directions and was eventually pointed in the direction of the administration building. Removing my hat before walking inside, I was greeted by a rather busy office, lots of shouting and rushing about by soldiers in uniform. The soldier guarding the front desk didn't look as busy, though his head was down reading some paperwork, so I approached him. He looked up and sighed.

"Civilians should head to the barracks while they wait for their paperwork," he stated in a voice so monotone, I assumed he'd probably said the same thing time and again.

"I'm actually here about something else. Could I speak to the person in charge please?"

He straightened slightly, looked me up and down. "Who are you?"

"I'm Uhtred. I'm… Well, I was a courier. Now I'm…" I trailed off with a shrug. "I just need to speak with someone. An officer, I guess."

"You can talk to me. Major Knight. How can I be of assistance?"

"Have you been informed of what's been happening in Primm in the past few days?"

"No, we've had no word from Primm in at least a week."

 _And you didn't think you should find out why?_ "Figured. Their radio is out."

I noticed the look of concern. "Are they okay?"

"They're fine. I might as well fill you in all the details."

So that's what I did, starting from the day I woke up in Goodsprings, the battle against the Powder Gangers, taking out the gang members in the Bison Steve Hotel, taking back NCRCF from the Powder Gangers, and finally, hopefully installing a new sheriff in Primm, but that I would need a pardon for it all to work.

To say Major Knight was sceptical of that last point was an understatement. "You expect me to authorise a former prisoner to be made a sheriff?"

With a sigh, I explained Meyers story. I must have done a good job, as by the end of it, I wouldn't say he was convinced, but he finally nodded his agreement. "Very well. I guess Primm does need protection, and while there is an NCR presence, we would rather someone local, or at least non-affiliated to the NCR. It will help keep the peace."

"So he gets a pardon?"

He shrugged. "Sure, why not? Let me sort out the paperwork and you can be on your way."

"Well, considering it's getting dark, I think I'll head back tomorrow morning. Is there somewhere I can rest my head?"

"While the barracks are for serving men, there are usually free beds for some civilians. If you get in early enough, you might find a bunk. But I'm hoping I might be able to ask a favour of you in return."

"Well, considering you've just done me a favour, I can't really turn you down."

"Thanks. We've been receiving some reports about Legion activity in the region. Our patrols haven't run into any Legion in the past forty-eight hours, but there is a Ranger on top of the barracks who keeps a lookout of the local region. I received a report from her just a couple of hours ago that was… disturbing."

"And I guess you want me to check it out?"

The Major shrugged. "Possibly. Speak to her, see what she has to say."

There was still a little light as I walked up the planks to the roof of the barracks. The Ranger heard me coming, at least, so I didn't startle her, staying back as she kept the binoculars to her eyes. I heard her mutter one or two things that I couldn't quite hear before she finally turned to face me. To say she was rather pale would be an understatement, which in itself was amazing, considering she must have spent most days out in the sunshine.

"What do you want?" she asked bluntly.

I thumbed behind me. "The Major asked me to come up here. Apparently you've sent a couple of reports that didn't make for pleasant reading."

"They actually read the fucking things for once?" I shrugged. "But instead of sending up someone in uniform, they send me a civilian. What a fucking joke!" She paused, before adding, "No offence."

"None taken. Why don't you fill me in?"

She handed me the binoculars. "Look north-east," she instructed as I held the binoculars to my eyes. "See those columns of smoke?"

"Yep."

"Well, I think that's Nipton."

"And Nipton is?"

"A complete fucking shithole. It probably deserves to burn. But… Well, it _shouldn't_ be burning, so it's a concern. I want to know what's going on. Of course, no-one in charge wants to send men to find out, so all I can do is sit here and watch. But you're not NCR, I assume?"

"As you said, I'm not in uniform."

"I'm hoping I can ask a favour? Head to Nipton and find out what's going on. You don't have to, but I'm hoping you might be heading that way."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere now. I ain't travelling the roads when it's dark. I need to head to Primm tomorrow morning…"

"What for?"

"I need to drop off a pardon for the new sheriff, and I need to collect something from the Mojave Express. After that, I can circle back around to Nipton."

"I guess that'll have to do. If it looks as bad as it is, I'm thinking a lot of people are dead, and if it's the Legion, then the situation is snafu."

"Snafu?"

"Situation Normal: All Fucked Up. I just knew the Legion were on this side of the river, but does any fucker downstairs listen to me? Do they fuck! Bunch of paper pushing fuckwits." I couldn't help laugh at her tirade. "I'm a Ranger. I shouldn't be keeping watch from the top of a fucking barracks. I should be out in the field, but no…" She trailed off and sighed. "Listen, stranger, you'll be doing me a solid by checking it out. And if I'm correct, I'm going to shove…" She trailed off again and cleared her throat. "I'll let you go. Doubling back will suck, but once you find out what's going on, head back here and let me know. If it is the Legion, then shit needs to change and fast."

I headed downstairs, heading straight for the administration building. I certainly wasn't going to double back, and had immediately thought of an idea. The Major looked up from his clipboard. "Something else?" he asked.

"Yeah. Your Ranger…"

"Ghost. That's her call-sign."

"Yeah, her. She wants me to check out Nipton. Thing is, I don't want to be constantly doubling back and forth. I have my own problems to solve. So I was hoping you could give me a couple of radios. One, that I can give to the guys in Primm, so they can at least contact you. Two, for me, so I call Ghost once I've found out what's going on."

"We should have a couple of spare radios around. Let me grab them for you."

I walked out five minutes later with a pair of radios, heading straight to the barracks. I was gasping for a drink after another long, hot, tiring day. Placing my arse on a stool, I ordered a beer as my attention was taken by a rather striking brunette, nursing what appeared to be a glass of scotch or whiskey. She met my eyes, knocked the drink back, then asked, "What the fuck are you looking at?" I think laughing lit a fire under her arse, as she added, "Did I say something funny?"

"Not at all. How many is that, though?"

"None of your fucking business. That's all I need. Another fucking busybody, sticking his nose where it ain't wanted."

"Well, I would ask what's wrong, but…"

The laugh she returned was so bitter, even the lady behind the bar pulled a sour face. "Don't get me started. Life is shit. The world is shit. Everything is shit. All I want to do is sit here in peace and quiet, drink enough until I pass out, then do the same fucking thing again tomorrow."

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

She looked at me, only suspicion in her eyes. "Why do you want to know?"

"Merely lending a friendly ear, ma'am. It's been a long day."

"Short version. I own a caravan company. It's all gone tits up. Lost nearly everything. I'm ready to just up and quit. But I have no fucking idea what I'm going to do otherwise."

"How are you with a gun?"

"When I'm sober? I'm pretty damned good. Why?"

"Well, if you want out of this outpost as of tomorrow morning, I can offer you a job. Well, sort of. But I take it you want out of here yesterday?"

"Abso-fucking-lutely." Then she cast me with a curious glance. "What sort of job?"

I removed my hat and noticed the eyes widen as no-one would miss the scars. "I want to find the man who left a bullet in my head and these," I replied, running a finger along one of the scars, "I don't know where he is, but I will search the entire Mojave, New Vegas and NCR if I have to."

"And what will you do when you find this man?"

"I will ask him why he shot me. And then, depending on the answer, I will decide whether or not I'm going to kill him."

"Are you sure about this? I mean, I'm not sure I can stand straight right now."

"To be honest, I could do with the help, and the company. And I assume you'll be different when you're sober."

That made her laugh loudly. "You're alright, stranger. You're alright."

"My name's Uhtred."

She held out a hand. "Call me Cass."

"Very well, Cass. I'm going to hit a bunk. I'm leaving first thing tomorrow morning. If you're outside waiting for me, I know you're in. If you're not, I'll assume you're not interested."

"Fair enough, Uhtred. I'll see you in the morning."


	6. Chapter 6 - Legion

My offer must have been too good to refuse. Or maybe Cass just wanted a lifeline. Or maybe she was just sick of being stuck at the outpost. Whatever the case, I now had a companion to keep me company, and provide some support whenever we crossed someone or people with an axe to grind.

But there was no doubt she was nursing one hell of a hangover. I would have laughed, but although not really feeling any sympathy for her self-inflicted state, I kept the pace gentle, making sure she drank plenty of water as we strolled along. I think she was half-asleep as we walked, and conversation was kept to a minimum. In fact, I think we must have spent a good hour walking along in silence. But it wasn't uncomfortable, and I figured we'd get to know each other more the longer we spent together. I was amazed she trusted me immediately, as she didn't know me from Adam, but I either looked trustworthy, or she was utterly desperate to get out of the outpost.

We made Primm an hour or so before lunch, heading to the NCR camp first to hand the spare radio to Hayes, letting him know that the outpost would like to hear from him. I then headed into Primm and tracked down Meyers, handing him the pardon letter. He was delighted to see it and thanked me for taking the time.

After bidding him goodbye and good luck, I headed back to the Mojave Express. The old fella was actually happy to see me, and he was quite happy for me to take a look at the still non-functioning robot.

"The fuck are you doing with that?" Cass asked, taking a seat on one of the chairs by the door.

"I want to see if I can get this thing working. I have no idea what it is, but I have a feeling it could be useful."

"Yeah, great idea. The thing will probably kill us all."

"It'll be fine."

I looked for some sort of control panel, eventually finding a small metal plate I could detach on the back. I had no idea what I was looking at once I removed it, but much like hacking the terminal at NCRCF, my hands seemed to move of their own volition as I moved around a series of leads, a small console eventually opening up. After keying a few simple commands, the robot shuddered.

Cass actually stood up. "Holy shit! Did you actually do it?"

"I'm not sure. Give me another couple of minutes."

Something still wasn't quite working, and I asked Johnson if he had a conductor and some wiring for electronics. He disappeared out back for a couple of minutes, returning with just what I think I needed. I still wasn't sure how I knew what I was doing, as I had no memory, but I just had this ingrained sense that whatever I was doing was going to work. Once I was done fitting the conductor and wires, I screwed the panel back into place and starting keying another series of commands.

Stepping back, it took a couple of minutes before there was a series of beeps and a light flashed on top of the robot. To my own amazement, and wondering what the other two thought at the same time, the robot came to life, lifting into the air. It had no face or anything that I could speak to, but I had a feeling it was looking right at me.

"Can you understand me?"

It made a series of beeps. I didn't understand what it meant, but I figured it was saying 'yes'. But wondering if it did, I gave it a simple command. I pointed to the other side of the room. "Fly over there."

It did.

"What the fuck?" Cass whispered behind me.

"Well, I'll be damned. The thing actually works!" the old fella exclaimed.

I gestured for the robot to return, and it did, so that was even better. _Voice and gestured commands. This thing could be a real boon. I wonder what it's called?_ "What do I call you?" It returned a series of beeps that, again, I didn't understand. "Hmmm. Maybe we'll eventually run into someone who'll know what you are. But would you like to follow me?"

It made a series of beeps again, a different tone to the others. _Hmmm. I think it actually likes that idea. Can a robot… like things?_

Johnson had been watching my conversation, apparently stunned that I'd managed to fix it, let alone hold a conversation, no matter how one sided it appeared to be. I held my hand out to the old man. "Mr. Nash, it's been a pleasure."

Grasping my hand, he replied. "Good luck tracking down the man responsible for shooting you."

The three of us headed out, the robot flying around half a metre about our heads, just behind us. I stopped and looked it over, noticing a little barrel underneath it. "Cass, look! I think it's armed."

"See what it fires."

Looking around for something to aim at, I eventually pointed at nearby barrel. "Robot, fire at the barrel."

It did as I asked.

"I think it needs a name, Uhtred."

"What the hell am I going to call a floating robot?"

"It doesn't have to be right now, but think of something. You can't just keep saying 'Robot, do this!'"

"I don't think I'm going to hurt its feelings."

The robot beeped above my head, but since I couldn't understand it, we just continued on south. Once on the road heading east to Primm, I had to raise my neckerchief again, as the wind whipped the dust up from the plain to our left. Cass did the same thing, both of us pulling out hats down hard so that although our eyes were still exposed, we hoped we'd keep our vision clear. The wind grew so ferocious that it slowed our pace considerably, near blinding us, barely able to see a few feet in front of us.

In fact, we were left so blind that it took what sounded like music from our robot companion to notify us that we were heading into trouble. It then flew ahead of us and started firing the laser attached to it. I could only assume it fired at some unseen enemy. Cass and I didn't need to share a word as we withdrew weapons and started looking for cover. Through the dust cloud, I noticed the outline of a shattered building, tapping her on the shoulder and gesturing. Once in cover, I peered through the dust, but I could barely see a thing. I could hear gunfire in the distance, though they could have been two metres away or ten.

"Robot, come to me slowly!" I called. _Maybe that'll drag the enemy our way._ Well, it did, but they also fired in our direction, a couple of bullets coming far too close for comfort, one causing pieces of brick to almost go into my eyes, despite the fact I was keeping them protected.

"You see anything?" I whispered.

Cass didn't say a word, her hands steady as she held the rifle, one eye closed. I only had one of my pistols to hand, figuring I would only see whoever or whatever the enemy was at the last minute.

Through the gloom, the floating robot appeared, continuing to fire at the unseen enemy. I noticed it take one bullet, though it glanced off its metal skin. I was ready to exclaim 'There!' as someone appeared through the dust, but before I could say anything, or even aim, Cass fired. Even through the dust, I could see the shot was perfect, straight through the forehead, blood and brains exploding out the back of their head as they dropped.

"That's one. There has to be at least one more," Cass muttered.

"Robot, where are they?" I whispered.

The robot fired in the general direction I assumed where the second person was. I heard a gunshot, ducking as I heard the bullet whizz by. Somewhat stupidly, they then yelled something and charged forward. Both Cass and I fired together, hearing a scream and a body fall. Tapping Cass on the shoulder, we carefully moved out of cover, sweeping arcs with our weapons just in case there was a third person we didn't know about, hearing the robot continue to hover above our heads. As it didn't fire at anything, I assumed we were safe for now.

After a cursory check of both bodies, taking ammo and caps they had on their person, we quickly moved on. It was at least another twenty minutes before we were passed the plains enough that the dust cleared, though we didn't remove the neckerchiefs just yet.

"Smoke," Cass muttered a little later.

"That's what we're heading here for," I replied.

"Ghost, right?" I nodded. "NCR and their stupid fucking names. Guess it's to strike fear into people, right?"

I just shrugged. "I guess so."

The closer we approached Nipton, the worse the smell. An acrid taste that left a bad taste in the mouth and a watering of the eyes. The smoke was so black, it left me wondering just what the hell was burning, and I wasn't the only one who had a shiver run up the spine as we passed the sign announcing we were entering the small town.

Looking back and up, I gestured for the robot to float lower. It actually did, which pleased me, further proving it at least understood what I wanted. With weapons still to hand, we moved forward slowly, but quickly raised them when someone rounded a corner and sprinted towards us.

"Hey! Hey!" the man called. He didn't even stop despite the fact we were both aiming weapons. "Guess who you're looking at?"

Cass and I shared a glance. "Um, no idea. You do realise we're armed and… You know what, never mind." I gestured to Cass to lower her weapon too. "What's going on here?" I asked instead.

"The lottery, man! I just won the motherfucking lottery!"

I shared another glance with Cass. She just shrugged before I returned my attention to the man. "Um, what lottery?"

He laughed. "What lottery, he asks? The lottery! The only lottery that matters. And I won that motherfucker!"

I took a moment to look him up and down. "You a Powder Ganger?"

That caused his laughter to stop and his demeanour to grow serious. "Well, yeah. I mean, I was. But no longer. Because I won the lottery!"

"Yeah, sure. Good for you!"

"Good for me? Fuck yeah!" And, with those final words, he ran past us. I turned to watch as he didn't look back.

"Uhtred, am I the only one dreading what sort of lottery he just won?" Cass wondered.

I didn't reply, as I had a bad feeling too. Putting a finger to my lips, we headed for the first building I could see, a sign above the door stating it was the Nipton General Store. Making a gesture, we raised weapons and entered with caution, greeted by the sight of a lone man sitting on a chair by the counter. He took one look in our direction and sighed.

"Seriously, fuck off with this shit. First those fuckers turn up and smash my legs to bits and then the Grim fucking Reaper himself walks in the fucking door."

I pointed at myself. "You calling me the Grim Reaper?"

"Well… Ain't you the cunt who has been wiping out Powder Gangers left, right and centre?"

Cass cleared her throat. "Something you want to share, Uhtred?"

"I can only assume this gentleman sitting here is a member of the Powder Gangers. I may have had one or two run-ins with them."

"That's fucking bullshit, man. A couple of 'run-ins'? You killed at least ten of our men near Goodsprings…"

"Which you attacked first. We merely defended ourselves. And I didn't kill all of them."

"Then you killed nearly all our men in the Bison Steve."

"After you had killed the sheriff and his wife while ransacking the town. I killed most of you in there. I let one of you live."

"And to top it all off, you then kill most of the Powder Gangers in NCRCF."

"After you had killed the Warden, the guards and whoever else was inside. I didn't kill many of you. That was all NCR. I just helped out. So you have only yourselves to blame."

He just waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah, whatever, man. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Sounds like you've been busy," Cass stated with humour.

"They started the war. I just helped finish it." I looked back at the seated man. "Right, tell me what's going on here?"

"The fucking Legion, man."

 _Shit, Ghost was right. This is not good._ "Why are they here?"

"Who the fuck knows? All I know is that they smashed my legs, burned half the town, burned some people and crucified the rest."

"Crucified?"

"You don't know what that means?" I shook my head. "Have a look outside, down the main street towards the town hall. Can't miss those poor motherfuckers."

"And what about you?"

"What you mean 'what about me'? I can't fucking move, man! So unless you got something I can take to put me out of my misery, why don't you just fuck off."

"I could just put a bullet in you."

"Yeah, I'd rather not go out that way."

"You'll probably starve to death," Cass stated.

"I'll drag my sorry arse around to find some food. Don't you worry about me."

I looked at Cass and shrugged. "You got anything he can take?"

"Nothing to put him out of his misery. But…" She sighed, stepping forward as she reached into her pack, taking out a bottle. "It won't exactly put you out permanently, but it might make you feel nothing for a while."

While he didn't say anything grateful, he at least refrained from cursing, simply nodding his head in thanks. I didn't particularly want to shoot a defenceless, unarmed man, and with nothing to help him either, I simply turned and walked outside. Cass stopped beside me and then gave me a glance. "Do you feel at least a tiny bit sorry for him?"

"I'm not completely heartless."

"But?"

"I know nothing about the Legion. Maybe they had their reasons?"

"I don't think there's anything to justify crippling a man. But… Well, if they're still here…"

"If they are, we play this carefully. I don't particularly want to end up like him in there." Rounding the corner, I finally understood what crucifixion meant. "Or like these poor bastards," I whispered as we slowly walked past the crosses, each one holding a Powder Ganger or some other poor bastard.

Halfway down the street, I stopped as a pair of what appeared to be soldiers noticed our approach. One turned and headed to the doors of the town hall. I'm not sure if he knocked on the door or yelled out something, but as we continued walking, around a dozen more soldiers appeared through the door, lining up in formation as Cass and I approached. I made sure I holstered my weapon, glancing at Cass to make sure she did the same thing.

The man who I assumed was in charge was the last to appear once I guess we were in place. None of the soldiers in front of us appeared armed, though I could only guess they were well trained, and could probably kill me in a dozen different ways by the time either Cass or I even had a weapon in hand. I watched the man, who was tall, wearing a strange hat, but resplendent in his armour, slowly walk down the stairs towards us.

"What brings you to Nipton, stranger?" he asked. His voice was gravel. But full of menace. I'll readily admit I felt the chill up my spine. _Careful, Uhtred. There are twelve solders and him. And he looks ready to kill us on a whim. Don't give him the choice._

So I figured honesty was the best policy. "I was asked to check what was causing the smoke."

"By the Profligates?"

"The Prof… You mean the NCR?" He nodded. "Yes. I'm doing this for them as a favour."

"You are not NCR?"

"No. I am my own man." He smirked at that. "Who are you, if may ask?"

"I am Vulpes Inculta of Caesar's Legion, and these are his legionaries. I can see the concern on the face of your companion there. Do not concern yourselves. I won't have you lashed or crucified like the rest of this… vermin." I thought he was about to spit on the ground. "No, it's actually fortunate for us that you happened to arrive. You can spread the word of what has happened here."

"What exactly did happen here?" I thought it was a stupid question, but while I wasn't playing dumb, I knew I had to appeal to this man's… honour? I wasn't sure, but I knew he was Legion, and I'd already heard enough to know they were not to be trifled with.

Vulpes stepped forward and gestured for me to turn around. I tried not to flinch when I felt his arm around my shoulders as he gestured with free hand. "I want you to bear witness the fate of Nipton and all those within it. Memorise every detail. Remember every face you see. But also remember their crimes. What they had planned. For I will tell you every detail. Then you will realise why the Legion has come to cleanse Nipton of the filth, of the vermin, of the… Profligates."

So he did explain. It great, graphic detail, he explained the atrocities that had taken place over the past three days in Nipton. It wasn't just that people had been killed. It was the manner in which they had been executed. Decapitations, which compared to other methods I heard, was actually humane. Because then there was the burning alive of the Mayor. Then there were the crucifixions. I didn't bother counting how many there were. Some of them were already dead, but plenty still lived. _Would there be any point in even trying to save them now?_

"Tell me, stranger, what do you think of what happened here? Look around you, look at the faces of those who have been crucified. A town of whores. Or criminals. Gangsters. This town was a wicked, corrupt place, in dire need of a cleanse. Can you not see what the Legion has brought to Nipton?"

I shared a glance with Cass. She looked on the verge of being sick. I swallowed down my first reply, something along the lines of _You must be all fucking insane if you think I'd ever agree to something like this._ Because I knew I'd probably lose my head, or end up on a cross too. I figured this Vulpes character wanted me to see this for some reason, but more importantly, he wanted to me to understand.

The scary truth was; I actually _did_ understand. A town like Nipton felt eerily familiar, like I'd passed through similar places before, maybe even lived in a town like it. Again, it was probably a lost memory. Did I feel sympathy for those up on the crosses? I did in some way, but I recognised a few as Powder Gangers, so like the man we'd met with the smashed up legs, I wasn't completely heartless, but my sympathy had a limit. And after the story Vulpes shared about springing their trap, and how the townsfolk had acted, it was in even shorter supply. _It's a dog eat dog world, Uhtred. It seems like few give a fuck about anybody except themselves. The Legion are preying on our base instinct of self-preservation._

I met Vulpes in the eyes and nodded. "I admire the purity of justice the Legion is bringing to this land. A town such as Nipton, a town of whores and villains, deserve nothing less."

Cass glared at me, but wisely stayed silent, as Vulpes cracked the tiniest of grins. "It pleases me that you understand the message, stranger. So this is what I want you to do for me. I want you to spread the word. Let the world know what the Legion will bring to the Mojave and beyond. This is but the first lesson, the first 'sermon' if you will. There are greater prizes out there that the Legion must conquer, and soon all of the Mojave and New Vegas will know the justice and order that the Legion will bring to it. That is what I want you to tell them."

I nodded as he finally removed his arm from around my shoulders. He then surprised me by calling his men into order, the dozen forming themselves into two rows of six, and without a backwards glance, they started to march out of town. I watched until they were out of sight before I took a deep breath.

"You don't seriously fucking agree with this bullshit, do you?" Cass asked, not masking the anger in her tone at all.

"Of course not. But I felt the power in just that one arm. And he had twelve legionaries at his back. We were fucked if we didn't play along."

She gestured down the street. "So what do we do with these poor bastards?"

"I'm not sure, but I'd better make the call to Ghost. She'll want to know."

I took a seat on the stairs leading up to the town hall, rummaging through my pack for the radio. Finding it eventually, I tuned it to the frequency the Major had told me the day before, and called in. "Courier to Ghost. This is Courier to Ghost. You reading me Ghost?"

There was a few seconds of static. " _Reading you loud and clear, Courier. What's the situation?"_

"It's fucked up. The Legion was here. I just finished talking to one of their leaders. The town is gone, Ghost. Everyone's been executed. We're talking beheadings, burning alive, crucifixions. There's a bunch of people here still up on crosses, very much alive."

" _Fuck…_ "

Then there was silence. "Ghost?"

" _Courier, I know you're going to hate me for this, but you must return and report this in person. You have a first-hand account of what's happened. They will have to believe you."_

"And what about these people up on crosses?"

" _Do whatever you think is best. Or humane. I know you'll make the right choice. Ghost out."_

Putting the radio back in my pack, I glanced at Cass beside me. "So…"

She shook her head. "I can't do it, Uhtred. These people are not innocent. I actually believed him about the trap. And everyone knows about Nipton, what truly went on here before the Legion arrived. I'd heard all the stories back at the outpost, and the returning NCR soldiers loved to talk. But no-one deserves what these people have suffered. And I can't just… It would be executing them."

"We would end their suffering."

Cass remained silent for at least a minute or so. "I still can't do it, Uhtred. But I know they won't survive if we take them down. Most of them are on the verge of death already. I won't think any less of you if you do it."

I took off my coat, revealing the four holsters that held the pair of 9mm and pair of 10mm pistols. Cass whistled her appreciation, as she wouldn't have seen them yet. "Always prepared," I muttered, taking out one of the 10mm pistols, getting up and approaching the two rows of crosses. Many of the victims had been stripped of clothing, only underwear maintaining the little dignity they had left. All of them were bleeding from wounds, Vulpes having explained that all were lashed before being placed on the cross.

The first one who noticed me approach with gun in hand didn't appear afraid. He looked grateful that I was about to put him out of his misery. "Are you sure?" I asked. I didn't want to do it without acceptance. He nodded as I raised the pistol. He met my eyes for a second before I pulled the trigger.

I did the same thing along one side of the street, before doing it along the other. Each and every person answered my question of 'Are you sure?' with a nod of the head. Most of them were already in agony. A few were probably on the verge of death as it was. All of them died instantly after I pulled the trigger. If the Legion heard the succession of gunshots, they sent no-one back to check.

After the last gunshot, I holstered the pistol and returned to Cass, picked up my coat, pack and rifle, and after assembling myself in everything, simply gestured with my head for us to leave. We walked in silence until we were at least halfway back to the outpost, the sun already starting to dip below the horizon, so I knew we wouldn't be getting back until after sundown.

"Are you okay?" Cass finally asked.

"Fine. I thought it would sit easier than it does."

"You regret doing it?"

"No. It needed to be done. They all said yes. But… I still did it. I know how many bullets I fired, how many lives I've just ended. It's different to putting down an enemy who is trying to kill me in return. Or, at least it feels different to me."

"I couldn't do it, Uhtred. But you did the right thing."

I glanced at her and a thin smile probably appeared. "Thanks."

The walk back wasn't as hazardous to our health as the walk towards Nipton, though we still had to raise neckerchiefs as the dust and sand was still blown into our faces. It was dark by the time we reached the intersection, turning left and walking up the hill. We passed by an NCR patrol heading down the road, stating they would be heading to Primm to relieve some of the men stationed there, so I could only assume Hayes had finally managed contact with the outpost.

I found Ghost at the bar inside the barracks. As soon as she noticed me, I found myself escorted towards the administration building and practically pushed into the office of the Commanding Officer.

"Tell Ranger Jackson everything you saw. Everything you told me," Ghost demanded.

Jackson looked at me, interested by what I was going to say. "Well, what did happen in Nipton?"

So I told him everything. The lottery held by the Legion. The punishments given out to the townsfolk. How they had reacted to what the Legion were doing. How the Legion reacted to them in return. I told him, near word for word, the conversation I had with Vulpes. And I then explained what I had done before we left.

By the time I'd finished, I had been offered a seat alongside Ghost, and the colour had actually drained from Jackson's face. "Fuck… I'd better let McCarren know. If the Legion are operating with impunity on this side of the river, then the situation needs to change, and fast."

"We should be sending our hunting parties now to hunt the fuckers down!" Ghost argued.

"Not without orders from the top, Ghost. You know that as well as I do. Our hands are tied."

"Then un-fucking-tie them and let me do my fucking job!"

"That's enough!" Jackson roared, slamming a fist on his desk, "I understand why, Ghost. Trust me, I do. But until we have orders, we are not to engage Legion forces. They haven't attacked us. Not yet."

"Nipton is our territory."

"Nipton was a shithole that, quite frankly, probably got what it deserved."

"You can't be serious," Cass stated.

"I am, regarding the fact Nipton is a shithole," Jackson retorted, "But no-one deserves to be burned alive nor crucified. So, what I will do is this. One, I will send a report to McCarran and relay your opinion, Ghost, that we should start hunting for Legion forces in our territory. Two, I will send a small team tomorrow to take hold of Nipton until McCarran decide what to do with the town. But considering everyone seems to be dead…" He looked at me, "Is that right?"

I nodded. "There was one survivor, but Vulpes had smashed his legs, and he had no use of them. He should still be alive though."

"We'll see if we can help him when our soldiers arrive. Other than that, the best option might be to just burn the whole place down. At least it will leave the Legion with nothing. Uhtred, you can join them tomorrow if you wish. Where are you headed?"

"I guess north. I'm still looking for the man who shot me."

"Well, the next town north along the road is Novac. But that's quite the journey. Between Nipton and Novac is what I would call bandit country. Have your wits about you once you leave Nipton. You're looking at probably at least a day's walk to Novac, if not more."

It was good advice, which I thanked Jackson for. Cass and I then headed straight for the bar, as I needed a drink. Or a few drinks. Cass bought a bottle of whiskey and we finished it within a couple of hours. I don't particularly remember heading to bed, or much of what I talked about with Cass, but I woke up the next morning with a stonking great hangover. It was a good reason for Cass to make fun of me this time, though she understood why I had needed the drink the night before. I still didn't feel great, but I felt better knowing that at least something bothered me.

Wandering outside, the sun still rising and the heat slowly building, we joined the NCR troopers forming up and soon we began the walk back to Nipton.


	7. Chapter 7 - Novac

I'll admit something right now. Part of me didn't want to leave behind our NCR escort upon leaving Nipton. Having walked from Goodsprings to Primm to the Mojave Outpost, I'd followed a major highway that would normally see at least some traffic. Add to that the road was wide, the land was flat, and I could see anyone or anything approaching, leaving me time to prepare in case they wanted to attack.

The road out of Nipton was anything but comfortable, the road winding its way along a valley, hills rising to either side, which I just knew was going to be filled with arseholes ready to try and kill us. Cass and I walked with caution, weapons in hand, eyes constantly searching for any sign of movement, whether human or otherwise. The robot continued to float above our heads. I would actually forget about the thing, considering it was rather silent, only remembering it was there when it beeped, or that music started to play before it went in to attack.

Cresting a rise, I brought us to a halt as I could see the perfect ambush spot. Ruined vehicles. Hills to either side. The road turning sharply to the left, so we would have no idea what we would run into. Crouching down with Cass, I called the robot closer. "Check around the corner. See what's around there. Open fire if they look… bad."

The robot beeped before flying forward. Before it even managed to shoot, gunfire erupted. I noticed a pair of bandits appear to our right, while one or more must have been high to our right.

And the shit well and truly hit the fan when a grenade landed just ahead of us. "Shit! They must have some sort of launcher!" Cass cried.

I grunted my agreement, already lining up one of the bandit to our right. A bullet hit the ground barely an inch in front of me, only missing me from the ricochet as it was slightly to my left. I took time lining him up, as he fired again.

That one hit me, straight in my chest, relieved that I was still wearing the body armour. Cass cried out in surprise, probably figuring I'd keel over dead. I won't lie, it hurt like hell, but I ignored it as I returned fire. My bullet went right where I aimed, straight into his gut, and he wasn't wearing body armour. I watched the rifle drop from his hands as he fell to his knees. I still had him in my sights and fired again, this bullet hitting him in the throat. He would have been dead by the time his head hit the dirt.

Glancing to see that Cass was ready to move, we raced towards the wreckage for cover, hearing a thump behind us, figuring another grenade had been fired. We took cover behind what I hoped was a solid structure, hearing bullets clang into the steel frame. I chanced a quick peek and could see one man on the hill, armed with a grenade launcher, while a pair of women were walking down the hill towards us.

The robot had floated back to us, so I made a series of gestures, watching as it flew towards the two women, opening fire as it did so. I took a deep breath and stood out of cover, immediately raising my rifle and aimed towards the bandit at the top of the hill and fired. I missed, but the shot caused him to duck down. And having taken his interest, he didn't see Cass to the other side, and her shot hit him in the shoulder.

As he went down, I was already moving, looping the rifle over me as I withdrew a pair of pistols. The two bandits were now in cover as my robot continued to fire at them. Distracted as they were, they didn't see me swoop around the other side of the wreckage, putting a bullet in the side of the head of one. The second saw me in time and opened fire. My body armour worked a treat again as I opened fire, putting a double tap in her chest.

Gesturing towards Cass, we raced up the hill, swinging off the road and pounding through the dirt to where the bandit with the grenade launcher was. We found him hobbling away from us, so I fired, putting a bullet in his leg. That sent him sprawling to the ground as Cass and I closed on him. He nearly surprised us by turning around, showing a pistol, so I made sure I shot that out of his hand, hearing him scream as half his hand disappeared with the pistol. As he held his bloody hand with the other, ignoring his cries, I asked Cass, "So, what should we do with him?"

She answered my question by lifting the rifle, aiming and firing. I couldn't help raise my eyebrows as she just shrugged before stating, "Fucker deserved it. A grenade launcher is just cheating."

Holstering my pistol, I shrugged myself before turning and heading back to the road. We continued to follow it for at least another hour before coming to an intersection where Cass called me to a halt. We didn't have any sort of map, so we were making it up as we go along, but as she'd been a trader, walking these same roads, I was sure she'd have a better idea than me.

"That's east," she stated, pointing down the road we were walking along. "But that's north," she added, pointing to a different road. "Novac is that way. The road isn't as great, but it's a shortcut, and will save us time. Might run into some bandits, but I think we've proven we can handle them."

"How much time will it save us?"

"Quite a few hours. Plus, we'd avoid Camp Searchlight. You don't want to go anywhere near there."

"Why is it best we avoid that?"

"I guess you wouldn't have heard. It was an NCR base before the Legion blew it up. But it wasn't just the fact the Legion blew it up. They made sure to blow the radioactive waste that had sat there since the Great War. It's not known how many NCR troops died, but it's a big reason why the NCR detest the Legion as much as they do."

"Okay, so I think heading north here might be the best option for us then."

Cass smiled. "I figured you'd agree."

Turning north was probably the sensible option. We were still surrounded by hills, but they were not as high as before. Add to that, the sun was still out, but it didn't feel as warm as it had walking the highway from Goodsprings south. I wasn't sure why that was, but though I was still sweating, it wasn't the buckets I was originally.

Cass and I continued to talk about nothing of importance as we strolled along. I didn't really have much to share about my own life, considering I couldn't remember it, so Cass told me about her life. Or, at least, as much as she was willing to share for the time being. I figured she was holding a few details back, which I didn't blame her for. We'd barely known each other for more than a couple of days, so while she obviously trusted me enough to be a travel companion, I guess there's a difference between doing that and sharing private or intimate details of your life before.

Then she asked me a question that led to an interesting discussion, and a slight personal realisation. "So you don't know if you have some girl somewhere?"

"No idea. No-one has known me wherever I've been so far. I'll admit to being a little sweet on a girl in Goodsprings, but I think that was just due to her being one of the first I met after waking up without a memory."

"Oh, do share."

"Not a lot to tell. She helped me get back on my feet along with a few others there. She was definitely cute. But I guess it was never going to go anywhere."

"Did you sleep with her?"

"Yep."

Cass burst into laughter. "Well, you work fast."

"As I said, she was nice. I liked her. And I guess she liked me in return."

"So why isn't she with you right now?"

"She has a job to do in Goodsprings. I couldn't ask her to leave, though I do wonder if she would have left if I had asked."

"Goodsprings. Goodsprings," Cass muttered to herself, then she clicked her fingers, "I know a couple of people there through trading. It wasn't Trudy?"

"No."

"Well, then I can only assume it was Sunny." The smile that must have appeared on my face gave it away. "Ha! Well, you have good taste in women, Uhtred."

"I'm glad she meets your approval. But, as I said, I'm not sure I'll ever see her again. But we enjoyed a last night together, and I'll admit that I enjoyed her company even before that. At least I left with a good memory of Goodsprings."

"And you've seen nothing so far that's helped jog your memory?"

"Not a thing. It's like I'm seeing everything for the first time. Perhaps I am? Maybe I've never walked the Mojave before? Maybe I am a new wanderer of these lands? I just don't know. But I've met no-one who's recognised or knows me so far. Maybe that will change once we hit New Vegas?"

"So how do you know how to fire a gun so well? And I understand you fixed the robot above our heads?"

I could only shrug, almost helplessly. "I don't remember learning any of it. I hesitate to say it came naturally, as it obviously wouldn't. I've had training, that much is clear. It's almost like muscle memory, particularly the shooting. When Sunny handed me the rifle, I just instinctively knew how to stand, how to hold it, when to open fire. All of it." Thumbing towards the robot, I added, "As for that thing, I simply can't explain it. I just did what I thought was right, and it was. Like hacking that terminal at NCRCF. I couldn't remember being trained, but I just seemed to know what to do."

We didn't stop as we had eaten a quick lunch while walking along. Nothing particularly satisfying, already understanding that food was rather scarce, and whatever was available provided some nourishment but not a lot else. Passing a ranger station on the way, I was half tempted to stop and ask about the situation, but it appeared deserted, and I figured whoever may have still been on site probably didn't want a pair of civilians wandering around, so we kept following the road.

The road curved between a couple of high hills, and I came to a stop once we could see what was in the distance, even in the gloom as the sun was beginning to set. _Must have made some good time. Jackson said it would take us a day to get here. Or maybe it was the shortcut?_

"What the fuck is that?" I just had to ask.

"It's a dinosaur. Or, at least, it's a big arse statue of one."

"I assume that's Novac?"

"It is. Even better is that there's accommodation. A place to rest your head. There might even be running water. When was the last time you had a wash?"

"No idea. I've had the chance to have a wipe down once since waking up. Nothing that I'd consider a bath."

"We might just be in luck. Keep those finger crossed."

There was little to Novac that we could see, though the sun had well and truly disappeared by the time we walked into town. What couldn't be missed was the fact there was electricity, as we could see numerous houses with lights on inside. Making our way down the main street towards the hotel, there appeared to be numerous lights on inside. And it was while walking towards the hotel that I saw someone, or at least something familiar.

"Howdy, stranger!" Victor called.

"What are you doing here, Victor?" I asked, friendly like.

"Thought I'd mosey on across to New Vegas. Knew you were probably heading this way, so thought I'd stop by and say hello."

I was a little suspicious as to why he just happened to be following me. But considering he'd been responsible for dragging me out of a grave, I figured he just happened to following the same path. "How do you know this thing?" Cass wondered.

"Victor pulled me out of the grave in Goodsprings."

"Oh, that was nice of him."

"Anyone else would have done the same thing. I just happened to be in the area at the time," Victor added.

"Well, nice seeing you, Victor, but Cass and I really need to get a room and rest. It's been a long walk."

"No problems, Uhtred. If you see me in New Vegas, make sure you holler!"

"Will do."

The motel had rooms available, of course, as there were few travellers along the roads. Cass and I took a room each, and even better news was that we could keep the rooms until we decided to leave Novac. The lady behind reception was helpful, particularly once I explained the reason why I was in Novac to begin with. She pointed me in the direction of the two snipers who protected the town, two men named Boone and Manny Vargas. There was also a Ranger in town, named Andy, though the receptionist explained that he'd recently been injured, compounding an earlier injury that had almost left him crippled.

Thanking her for the information, Cass and I headed upstairs to our separate rooms, the robot following me inside mine, where it then settled on a chair beside the bed. It didn't exactly switch off, but I assumed it was 'resting'. The first thing I did, after dumping my coat and weapons on the bed, was test to see if there was running water. Of course, there wasn't. I thought the chances of that were slim at best, but I still felt a twinge of disappointment.

The next morning, there was little point wandering around Novac, as there was next to nothing to see. Letting Cass know what I was doing, I headed up into the dinosaur, past a gift shop and out into the mouth of the statue, where a man was standing watch. He turned upon hearing the door open.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"You Manny Vargas?" He nodded. "My name's Uhtred. I've been told you might have some information for me."

"Oh yeah, about what?"

"A man in a checked suit apparently came this way." I removed my hat to show my bald scalp, having used the knife I had as a razor the previous night. I had no idea if I'd shaved my head before, unlikely as Doc Mitchell had left me with half a head of hair, but I liked keeping it shave while letting my beard grow at the same time. "He also put a bullet in my head. I would like to speak to this man about it."

"Shit," he muttered, "Okay, we'd better talk. Follow me." I followed Manny back down the stairs. He told Cliff he was taking a few minutes to talk to me as we then headed out into the yard, following him to one of the three bungalows. Once inside, he offered me a seat and a beer, taking a seat across the table from me. "Listen, stranger…"

"Uhtred."

"Okay, Uhtred. Look, I can help you. But I need a favour for a favour. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. You get it?"

I couldn't help sigh. "What do you want?"

"Look, I know you want the information I have. Considering those scars, I don't blame you."

"I have a score to settle with whoever it is."

"You help me with this, I'll tell you everything I know. I promise. I know honour doesn't mean much in the world nowadays, but I like to think my word still means something. You know what I mean?" I nodded. "Let me ask you this; can you handle yourself in a gun fight?"

"I'd like to say yes, but then again, I did take a bullet in the head. But I don't think I was in any position to stop that happening."

"Okay, here's the deal. There are currently two people protecting this town. Me, and another fellow called Boone. We worked together as a sniper unit for the NCR until we retired. Now while we protect the road coming in from the east, as there are always raiders and the like who see this town as easy picking, we're having problems with… things coming in from the west."

"What sort of things?"

"Ghouls."

"The fuck is a ghoul?" He appeared stunned that I didn't know, so I had to explain my personal circumstances. "In addition to the bullet, I was left with amnesia. I remember nothing from before I was shot. I've tried putting the pieces together, but no-one seems to know me. You don't know me, do you?"

"Never seen you before in my life. Damn, I almost feel bad for asking you to do this for me, but I have no-one else to ask. Boone and I can't do it as we can't leave the town undefended."

"Just tell me what I need to do. I won't say no. I need the information so, as you said, a favour for a favour. I'm already getting used to it."

"Follow me," he asked, and we wandered outside back onto the main road through town. We stopped at the crossroads as he pointed west, into the hills. "Up there is REPCONN. It's an old facility from pre-war. I think it was for rocket production or something. Who the fuck knows nowadays. Anyway, we've had no real problems with this place for years. Place was ripe for scavenging. But in the last few weeks, people started reporting ghouls showing up, and the scavengers stopped going. Worse than that, the fuckers have started coming into town. No-one has died yet, but they're getting more confident."

"Okay, so ghouls are coming into town. What are they?"

"From what I know, they're people who were caught up in the blasts during the Great War, if you run into older ones. Some are those unfortunate enough to be exposed to a bad dose of radiation."

I was unable to hide the surprise in my one-word question of, "Really?"

He nodded. "I've met a ghoul or two in my time. Some of them are fine, normal people, just with no skin. But then you get the one's that turn feral. Something must happen to their brains as they just lose all sense of reasoning and logic, and will attack anything at first sight. That's what we've been dealing with the past few weeks."

"So you think this REPCONN place is full of them?"

"It's possible, but I can't figure out where they've come from in the first place."

"How far away is it?"

"No more than an hour's walk."

"Okay, let me have a chat with my travel companion. I could do it with just my robot, but I've found having a second gun helpful."

Manny headed back to the dinosaur as I thought about what I was supposed to do. _I guess this is my life now. Doing favours for people to get what I want. What will I end up doing next?_ I shuddered at the thought, as while most favours had been reasonable, I just knew some day in the future, I would probably end up doing something to make my skin crawl.

Cass was awake, knocking on her door and hearing her call of enter. Her hat was on the desk, taking note of her long brown hair, almost past her shoulders, before I noticed she was only wearing a shirt and underwear, my eyes moving down to her rather pale but long legs. It caught me completely by surprise, and I know I was staring as she laughed at my reaction. "Anyone would think you hadn't seen a woman in her underwear before," she added with another laugh.

I looked away immediately. "Sorry. I just thought… Never mind. It was just unexpected."

She took a seat on the end of the bed, still in just her underwear, gesturing for me to sit in the available chair. "So, what do you need to tell me?"

I did my best to keep eye contact, ensuring if I broke it, my eyes looked at a point on the wall behind her. "Guy keeping watch in the dinosaur, fellow named Manny, has the information I need. But to get it from him, he's asked me to do a favour for him in return."

"That's the way of the world, Uhtred. Everything has a price, even information. So, what are we doing?"

"You've travelled through Novac before?"

"Plenty of times."

"Know of the REPCONN facility?" She nodded. "That's where we are headed. Apparently there are ghouls inside that need removing."

She noticeably shuddered. "Ugh, ghouls. Fucking hate the things. Even the ones that haven't got a screw or two loose. Don't get me wrong, I feel sorry for the fuckers, but that doesn't mean I have to like them."

I shrugged. "Never seen one myself, but I can take a guess at their appearance from what Manny told me. If you get dressed, we can leave in a few minutes and get this done quickly. Or, as quickly as possible."

We met up downstairs ten minutes later. Figuring we'd be heading inside a building, I told the robot to stay in my room. It beeped at me, and I think I made it either sad or angry that I was leaving it behind. But it settled back on its chair and appeared to go back to sleep. That's if a robot does sleep.

The road quickly rose into the hills to the west of Novac, and I could only assume the facility was nestled somewhere in the hills. _Hmmm. Was it a secret facility before the war?_ As we approached what appeared to be the entrance, I noticed figures ahead. Cass wasted little time taking the rifle from her back. I followed suit as our pace slowed.

"There are your ghouls, Uhtred."

There were four of them, one of them glowing a bright green, and as soon as they noticed us, they damn near sprinted in our direction. Cass and I were ready, putting the first one down each before they'd run ten metres. The third one was taken down a little closer, but the fourth glowing one could take a little damage. But a bullet from Cass and I, each of them into the head, pretty much took its head off.

"Don't go near it, Uhtred. It's radioactive. Take a wide path around it."

"How the hell is a ghoul radioactive?"

Cass shrugged as we forged a wide path around the body. "No-one knows a whole lot about ghouls. No-one really cares either. They're reminders of a previous world. The day the bombs dropped."

Whoever or whatever was in charge of the facility had spent a lot of time building defences, as we had to work our way or climb over a number of barricades. In addition to that, we found plenty of supplies, including plenty of ammo, so I happily added a number of clips to my bag. We also found some medical supplies, bandages and whatnot. I'd taken a few nicks and scrapes so far, but figured I was bound to take a bad injury sooner or later, so grabbed those too.

We also found ghoul bodies that appeared different to those we'd first seen, primarily because they were dressed in robes, and appeared to have been armed themselves. Cass crouched over one of the bodies. "Hmmm. Never seen this before."

"Any idea who they might be?"

"No idea. But anyone dressed in robes means some sort of cult, as far as I'm concerned anyway. So we could be looking at a cult of ghouls. But this is a laser rifle. Feral ghouls are not armed, so who was this guy fighting off?"

"It's a mystery."

Cass just looked up at me. "I'm just hoping we don't run into armed ghouls who think we're there to kill them. If we can talk to them, we might find out what's been going on up here."

We must have passed through what must have once been an entrance tunnel, the road turning and descending into a natural, wide valley, the REPCONN facility ahead of us to our right. In front of the building was a half-destroyed statue of what I assumed was a rocket, and the name of the facility underneath it. And, in front of all that, were another half a dozen ghouls.

Cass opened fire as I looped my rifle strap around me and withdrew a pair of pistols, continuing to walk forward as I opened fire. The ghouls were cannon fodder, not a hint of self-preservation as they simply ran into our bullets. The six of them went down with ridiculous ease, Cass and I simply strolling by their bodies as we approached the entrance of the facility, walking by another couple of robed ghoul bodies.

Someone must have been watching us, as I heard a voice calling from us. I looked around for a moment before noticing the intercom on the wall by the entrance. " _Hey, smoothskin."_

I glanced at Cass. "Smoothskin?"

She shrugged. "It's what ghouls call humans. Take it as a term of endearment."

" _Endearment, my arse! Listen, I've just seen you take care of all those ghouls outside. They were feral, so we understand. But I take it you're here for a reason. The other ghouls, right?"_

"Correct."

" _Okay, what you need to do is head inside and head right. You'll eventually find a metal staircase leading up. Watch out for the ghouls and also… um, the other things."_

"What other things?"

" _Never mind that. Just get up here as quickly as possible."_

I heard the intercom switch off. "So, what sort of other things do you think he means?" Cass asked.

I couldn't help groan. "I really don't want to know."

There was no point delaying our entry. After making sure my rifle was full of ammo, and checking my pistols that they were full too, we shared a glance, took a deep breath, and entered the facility.

I should have known I'd be asked to do more favours eventually.


	8. Chapter 8 - Rocket Man

We did kill a few ghouls between the entrance and the metal staircase the voice had directed us to. Did either of us feel guilty about it? Not particularly. They were trying to kill us in return, and when they had the numbers to swarm, it could actually be a little concerning. Not wanting to rely on our rifles, we put those away and I handed the two 9mm pistols I had to Cass, along with some spare ammo clips she could store in her pockets, while I carried my pair of 10mm pistols.

She proved to be just as good a shot with a pistol as a rifle, wasting no time putting a bullet in any head dumb enough to get in her way.

While there was a semblance of power, some lights continuing to flicker, the occasional terminal still powered and providing information about what REPCONN had been up to prior to the Great War, most of the hallways were dark, each corner a shadow, and it wasn't a comfortable experience. Particularly when we heard ghouls growling all around us, and in the darkness, the numerous hallways, the general destruction around us, it was unnerving.

And then there were the strange bodies we found. Not human. Not ghouls. Something else entirely. I didn't have a clue what they were, so Cass crouched down to have a look. "I think it's a super mutant."

"A super what?"

Cass looked at me in surprise before she smiled. "Ah, that's right. To be honest, I don't know anything about them. I just know what they are called." Looking back down at the body, she added, "I always thought they were green. That's the description I've heard. I wonder why this one is blue?"

"I assume anything called a 'super mutant' is dangerous?"

"They can be. So the fact this one is dead suggests it was overwhelmed by the ghouls. Or perhaps it was those robed ghouls and their laser weapons?" She pulled back the clothing and pointed at one or two scorch marks as evidence.

"Well, let's hope we don't run into any of these or a horde of ghouls."

We didn't run into hordes, but we still ran into one or two before we finally found the staircase. Our boots made plenty of noise as we walked up, hoping it wouldn't attract even more ghouls towards us, but we made it up without incident. The only concern Cass had was that the stairs would obviously be centuries old, so she was only half-joking when wondering if we would plummet to our deaths as the staircase gave way.

Stopping at another intercom, the voice told us that we would enter, but that he insisted we holster all weapons, and remember that we were invited guests. The warning about what would happen to us should we offend them wasn't subtle at all.

"Well, this should be interesting," Cass muttered as the door ahead of unlocked.

I was not expecting the first person we met. Cass has said the voice was that of a ghoul. But we were met by a human. Sure, the voice was similar to that of a ghoul, but he was as human as Cass and I. "Were you the one of the intercom?" I enquired, wondering what sort of response I'd get.

"I was. My name's Chris. What of it?"

"I was expecting a ghoul."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "What do you mean 'expecting a ghoul'? You're looking at one!"

I was ready to retort, but a shared glance with Cass, and a shake of her head, stopped any argument. _Okay, so he's off the deep end. Fantastic. What else are we going to meet while we're here?_

"So, you obviously asked us up here for a reason. What do you want?" I asked instead.

"Our leader, Jason, wants to speak to you. He's upstairs."

"I assume Jason is a ghoul too?" Cass wondered.

"Of course he bloody is. We're all ghouls here!"

And, with that, the human, who thought he was a ghoul, scoffed, turned and walked away. Cass and I shared another glance. "So, a bunch of ghouls are here. I wonder what for?" It was a rhetorical question, Cass answering by shrugging her shoulders.

We wandered around what may have once been some sort of laboratory, as even though I'd lost my memory, I noticed things that I could put a name too. It was strange seeing a bunch of ghouls act like humans. They conversed with each other. They were busy working on projects. Many looked in our direction and greeted us rather cheerfully. It was rather strange.

Heading upstairs, we asked where Jason was, pointing in the direction of an office. It was there that we saw him for the first time. Obviously, Cass and I expected a ghoul, but I definitely did not expect to be greeted by a glowing ghoul. Sat at a desk, he looked up and smiled as we approached.

"Welcome, wanderers." He gestured at a pair of chairs on the opposite side to him. "Please, take a seat. I wish to speak to you." Taking a seat each, I'll admit the fact he was glowing filled me with a little fear, remembering what Cass had told me earlier. The glowing one could obviously read my face, as a smile appeared. "Do not worry, stranger. You are safe near me. For some reason, although I glow, humans will not suffer radiation. It is a gift."

"I guess the questions I have are; who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I am Jason, leader of the Bright Brotherhood. Why are we here? We wish to travel to the Far Beyond, what we are calling the 'Great Journey'. That is the reason I have asked you up here. We need help. I am hoping you may assist us."

"Why do you want our help?" I thumbed behind me. "Seems like you've got plenty of smart people down there."

"You are humans. It is easier for you to walk around and not suffer the… persecution a ghoul does."

"Understandable," Cass stated.

"Okay, so explain this 'Great Journey' and 'Far Beyond'?"

Jason rose to his feet, walking towards the window behind him. "I have glimpsed it in visions, stranger. A place where my followers and I will be able to live in peace. We wish to escape the wasteland that this world has become, but also escape the cruelty and bigotry that we now suffer at the hands of humanity." He shook his head. "It appears they have forgotten that we too are still human. We are only different due to the effects of mankind itself. It is man that polluted this earth. Man that dropped those bombs. Man that caused some of us to change."

"Yet you want the help of humans?" I asked, a little sarcastically.

He turned and smiled. "The Creator works in mysterious ways, stranger. I believe he has sent you to us, to deliver us to the Far Beyond, as penance for the crimes that humanity has perpetrated against not only ghouls, but against all humans since before the bombs dropped."

"An interesting viewpoint."

"Will you help us?"

I glanced at Cass, who merely shrugged. Looking back at Jason, I nodded. "Okay, I guess we can help out. But how? What do you need?"

Jason sat back down. "Preparations for our journey were nearly complete when demons appeared." He obviously saw my face, so held up a hand. "Let me explain. They appeared from nowhere. They are invisible, most of the time anyway. You will find them in the basement, where I believe they still remain, looking for something, though for what? I cannot tell you."

"We found a couple of super mutant bodies downstairs. Could they be these demons you speak of?" Cass wondered.

Jason shrugged. "It is possible. We have not seen or heard from them since that first day. They warned us to remain up here, to not enter the basement. If we did that, the voice assured us that we would not be harmed."

"So while not altogether reasonable, they have left you alone?" I asked.

"Yes, they have made no attempt to try and attack us here. Their focus is only on the basement. Unfortunately, while they remain in the basement, we cannot continue our preparations for the Great Journey. So what I ask of you is this; can you deal with these demons? Or, if they are, super mutants? If you can resolve this peacefully, then that would be better for all. But…" He trailed off and shrugged.

"What do you think, Cass?"

"A bunch of invisible super mutants. What could possibly go wrong?"

I wish she hadn't asked that question.

The fact I had no memory to begin with was always disconcerting. But I had no idea why I was now tied to a chair, my coat, hat and weapons having been removed, left only with a splitting headache and what I thought was an incoming bruise on my jaw. My memory hadn't returned, and I couldn't remember why I was tied to a chair. But at least I hadn't lost the memories I'd gained since waking up in Goodsprings. It's only the last few minutes that were missing. The last thing I remember was walking down the stairs towards the basement…

"You're awake," a voice said from somewhere around me. I looked around, noticing Cass tied to a chair next to me. She was still unconscious. "Your friend will be a fine. A club to the head will take time to recover from."

"Where are you?"

"In front of you."

I narrowed my eyes, but I couldn't see a thing. "So, you're invisible?"

"Yes."

"Interesting. How are you invisible?"

"We use StealthBoys. That is why we are here. Antler wanted you to help us. That is the only reason why you are still alive."

"Antler?"

"You don't know Antler?" I shook my head. "It does not matter. Will you help us, human?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"You do, if your choice is to not help us and therefore die."

I couldn't help sigh. "Fine. What do you want?"

"We need information regarding deliveries of stealth boys. We were informed that this facility received at least two crates of them. We have not been able to find them, and a ghoul has taken refuge in the room where we might find out where they are."

"I take it this ghoul isn't being co-operative?"

"No, he is not. He has already kill three of my men. He is in a good, defensive position. He is smart, for a ghoul."

"Okay, untie me, give me my coat, hat and weapons, and I'll do what I can to help. But what assurance do I have that you'll let us live once I have the information?"

"Our quarrel is not with you, human. Nor these ghouls. We merely want what we came for, then we will leave."

"I guess that's reasonable. But why attack us to begin with?"

"We warned the ghouls not to come down here. Unfortunately for you, we meant ghouls _and_ humans. But now that you are here, it is you who can help us instead."

Finding myself untied, my weapons, coat and hat handed back to me, I was pointed in the direction of the room where the ghoul had set up. Figuring said ghoul was probably armed and dangerous, I figured entering the room without a weapon in hand would probably be a good start. Opening the door, it was definitely a good idea, as there was the clang of a bullet whizzing by my ear before hitting the wall, following by a mumbled, 'Fuck!'

I looked up and noticed a ghoul crouched down, rifle aimed at my head. "Who the fuck are you?" the ghoul asked.

"Uhtred."

"Uh-huh. And what do you want?"

"There's information in here that I need. What are you doing here?"

"Maintaining a defensive position against whatever the fuck those things are out there."

"Invisible super mutants."

"Well, ain't that just fuckin' peachy." He groaned. "Look, I'll level with you here. This situation is fucked. Name's Harland, and I'm one of those Bright Brotherhood members you've probably already met upstairs."

"Yeah, I've met Jason. Interesting fellow."

"What did you think of him?" I shrugged without replying. "Yeah, exactly. Batshit fucking insane, but I didn't join for him. I joined for the ladies."

I figured he meant female ghouls. "Jason did send me down here to deal with what he calls demons."

"Yeah, I bet he did. The Creator's will, right?" I couldn't help chuckle at his sarcasm.

"Look, I'm just looking for some StealthBoys," I replied, "That's why these super mutants are here. Once I have them, or at least have information, they've told me they'll go. I don't suppose there's a crate or two in here?"

"If there was, do you think I'd still be here?"

"I figured, but I need information. Can you do me a solid and help me out?"

"I help you, you help me." I groaned, just knowing he was going to ask a favour. _My fucking life nowadays._ "There was this girl I escorted down here every day. Sweet little thing that… Never mind. Anyway, we were separated when the 'demons' attacked. Haven't seen her since." I was ready to reply when he raised a hand. "Look, I know there's a good chance that she's already dead. But a guy has to know, right? You find her for me, let me know the score either way, then you can make your way up here. Try and do it before, and I won't have to shoot you. There are so many traps around here that you won't make it to those stairs."

"Well, like helping the 'demons', it appears I have no choice."

"I make no apologies, smoothskin. Nothing in this life is free. Not anymore."

Once the door closed behind me, I couldn't help the loud 'Fuck!' that I shouted, hearing it echo down what I knew were not empty corridors. _Like hell am I going traipsing through this complex with who knows how many invisible super mutants there are?_ So I did the only thing I could think of. I headed back to the room where I had woken up. I couldn't see whoever had spoken to me earlier, so I simply asked, "You here?" once I'd entered.

"I am, human. Is the ghoul still there?"

"He is. I need to ask a question. You probably took a prisoner, a female ghoul. He wants to know if she's still alive."

"And if I give you this information, the ghoul will leave and you can find the StealthBoys?"

"Yes."

"Very well. I will find out for you."

I sensed he walked past me, though I couldn't see him. It was a worrying feeling, the fact the room could have been full of super mutants, and I just wouldn't have known. Once I felt he had left, I gently shook Cass, hoping she would wake up. She woke up with a start and groaned.

"My fucking head. What the fuck happened?" Yes, I had learned in the few days we'd spent together that her mouth was worse than mine. "And why the fuck am I tied up? You into some kinky shit or something, Uhtred?"

I couldn't help laugh. "No, invisible super mutant caught us."

"Well, are you going to untie me or what?" Then she met my eyes. "Or are you into kinky shit? A girl has to know these things if she's travelling with you."

I must have blushed or something, as she started to laugh as I started to untie her ankles before moving onto her arms. I watched her rub her wrists once they were untied, taking a seat next to her as I waited for the invisible super mutant to return. Neither of us heard the footsteps, but I felt the slightly rush of wind as the super mutant walked by. "The ghoul is dead," it reported.

"Very well. I'll let the other ghoul know. He'll probably try and make his escape."

"Although I want his head, Antler has told me that we must only worry about the StealthBoys. Antler has also ordered me to let you and the other human go once we have the information."

"Antler is a smart…"

"God, human. Remember that."

"Sure," I said.

Wandering back to the room where Harland was waiting, I guess returning by myself told him everything he needed to know. "Do I need to say anything?"

"No. The fact you've returned here alone is enough. Right, let me take care of some of these traps so you can at least get up here without losing a leg or two."

It took him a few minutes to make a path safe, but once he did, he thanked me for getting the information before stating he would re-join Jason and his followers upstairs. He wasn't big into religion, didn't believe Jason was some sort of messiah, but actually believed in the Great Journey. 'Fucking humans' were his last words to me, though he added, 'Well, some of you are alright.' And then he disappeared.

I had a good look around the room, opening up a number of crates, just in case Harland had missed something, though I had no idea what a StealthBoy looked like. I then found a working terminal, so found a box to sit on, and starting looking for information. It didn't take long to find what I needed, and I started to worry.

The StealthBoys were not there. They had been sent somewhere else, and I only worried about how the invisible super mutants would react.

Returning to the same room again, I still couldn't see the super mutant, figuring out where it was in the room when it asked, "So, where are they?"

"Not here. They were sent here originally, but whoever was in charge realised the error and sent them somewhere else."

"No, you lie! They are here!"

"I assure you they are not. Go and check the room if you want. The ghoul has left, there is a terminal that explains it all. The StealthBoys were sent here by accident. They were returned to where they were sent from."

"What do you think, Antler? Does the human speak the truth?" Silence. I had a feeling this super mutant was tapped in the head, as in completely insane. But he 'spoke' with Antler for a few seconds before adding, "Antler believes you speak the truth. The StealthBoys are not here. Therefore, we will have to find where they were sent. Antler thanks you for your assistance, human."

"No problem. At least we could resolve the situation peacefully."

I still couldn't see the super mutant, but Antler started to float. "Wait here for ten minutes or so, human. The other nightkin are not as friendly as I am, and will probably attack you. It is safer in here until we leave."

I sensed he walked past again, the door closing behind him. Getting up, I had a quick walk around what must have once been an office, though for what purpose, I didn't have a clue. "Nightkin? I've never heard of them before," Cass muttered, noticing she was now up and about too.

"You okay?"

"Head's still swimming slightly, but it's no worse than a really bad hangover. You?"

"I think the metal plate in my head might have saved me this time."

After waiting for longer than ten minutes in the end, as I really didn't want to be attacked again, we made our way out of the basement and back up the stairs towards Jason and the rest. Harland was resting up on a bedroll in another room, raising his hand in recognition as we passed by the door. We found Jason in the same office as before, taking a seat across from him. "They're gone."

"You managed to get rid of them? How?"

"They were looking for something. StealthBoys. I found information that they were no longer here, so the nightkin have disappeared."

"That's excellent news. We can now continue preparations for the Great Journey. Please, follow me. There is still much to be done."

As Jason walked quickly out of the room, excitedly announcing the news that the journey would soon occur, everyone grabbed their belongings from various rooms around us, before Jason led everyone back downstairs. We ended up walking through the basement, and the office where Cass and I had been held. Jason pressed a switch, and a hole opened up in the floor, where we then followed a long corridor. Jason and his followers peeled off, stating that Chris, the human looking ghoul, was waiting for us as he made final preparations.

Of course, we were required to do more favours. _Should have known. Life has not been easy since waking up in Goodsprings._ Chris explained what he needed, but neither Cass nor I had a clue where to get either of what he requested. So we asked him where to look.

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised if the thrust control modules ended up in a scrap yard somewhere. With any luck, it'll be close by."

"There's one close by, Uhtred. Old Lady Gibson owns one," Cass suggested.

"Okay, we'll try there. And the other thing?"

"Of that? No idea, unfortunately," Chris replied, "The igniting agent may have ended up in the same place if taken by scavengers who had no idea what they were dealing with. The good thing is, if someone managed to break the seal, everything around Novac would already be dead."

"I don't feel like traipsing back through this facility. Is there a quicker way out?"

Chris led Cass and I down a couple of wide corridors until arriving at a steel ladder. "You'll come out near the facility. The lid is well hidden, so just make sure you hide it again. We don't want any surprise visitors. Come back when you have both things, then we can get this shown on the road."

That was the idea until we exited and realised it was night-time. That ended any idea of doing anything except getting back to the hotel as quickly as possible. Luckily for us, nothing dangerous lurked in the shadows, though I almost tripped over one the ghoul bodies we had taken out far earlier. Making it back to Novac without major concerns, we ended up in my room, thankfully having enough supplies for dinner, realising we hadn't eaten a thing since breakfast.

"I can't believe we're helping a bunch of ghouls into space," Cass stated with a laugh, only after we'd opened a bottle of whiskey.

"I wonder where this 'Far Beyond' he talks about is? Must be past the moon, I'm guessing."

"I think they're in for a world of disappointment. Jason is clearly delusional."

"Guess ghouls need a little hope, though. They're not exactly treated right here, are they?"

Cass shrugged. "I guess not. I mean, they're human, but they're not. I've heard of ghouls that lived for over two hundred years. Only stories, though. Whether that's true or not…"

"I understand they were caught in the blasts? The older ones at least."

"Ever heard of the vaults?" I nodded. "Well, a lucky few managed to get into one before the bombs dropped. Everyone else either died or turned into a ghoul. I'm not sure whether turning into a ghoul could be considered lucky or not. I mean, they're still alive but… Well, they look like that."

"What about you?"

"My lineage can be traced back to Vault 8, otherwise known now as Vault City. It's a very long story and my father didn't share a whole lot about it before he disappeared. He left me with my mother, who was called a tribal woman. When the vaults opened, people tended to stay together and eventually formed what they called tribes."

"So you're from the NCR or somewhere around there?"

She nodded. "I was. I'm now… Well, I'm not a trader anymore. Guess you could call me a drifter. I'll figure out what to do with my life later. Now it's all about adventure and drinking."

"In that order?"

"Don't tempt me, Uhtred. Otherwise this entire bottle will be consumed, and you can put up with my mood tomorrow."

"Well, we don't want that, do we?"

"Don't suppose you've remember anything from before?"

"Nope, still one giant blank."

"Well, it might all come back one day. Maybe you just need another bump on the head?"

"As long as it isn't another bullet."

We lapsed into silence, simply sipping at the whiskey and it wasn't long before most of the bottle was gone and I was struggling to stay awake. Cass had turned on the radio, and she tuned it to a station from New Vegas, listening to the old pre-war tunes. Some of them were familiar. I'm sure I'd heard them before, but it was like hearing them for the first time.

Eventually I had to yawn and stretch, barely able to keep my eyes open. Cass was falling asleep herself, so I was ready to just go when she said, "You can stay here if you want." I must have looked surprised, if not a little concerned, as she burst into laughter at my reaction. "Right, I can state categorically right now that I'm not going to fuck you." She paused. "Okay, I probably won't fuck you. But I wouldn't mind the company. And anyway, I know you're still hung up on that girl in Goodsprings."

"I am not."

She laughed again. "Fool yourself all you want, but that smile on your face when you talked about her suggested otherwise."

"I've known her three or four days at most."

"That's long enough to gain an interest in someone. I'm not talking love or that sort of bullshit, but you clearly like the girl. Let me ask you this; if you could redo leaving, would you have asked her to join you?" I didn't know what to say other than 'yes', so I stayed silent. "There's your answer. I think you need to return to Goodsprings eventually and go get her."

"She won't…"

"Trust me, Uhtred." She pointed at herself. "I'm a woman. I know what I'm talking about. If she caught feels too, she's waiting for you to return."

"Well, I don't know the chances of any of that happening."

"Once you've found this guy we're tracking, what's stopping you from going back there?" Again, I couldn't think of an answer except 'nothing'. "Once again, your silence speaks volumes. Anyway, I'm beat so it's time we head to bed."

"Good idea."

I know I probably wasn't the only one feeling a little awkward after taking off at least a little clothing before getting under the sheets, both of us keeping on a shirt and underwear at least, before we stayed on the far side the bed. Despite that, I was asleep within a couple of minutes. I'm not sure if it was the drink or not, but I remember having vivid dreams, almost as if they were my lost memories trying to return. But I couldn't make sense of most of it, and the dream ended with me on my knees, next to the grave, and then the sound of a gunshot…

I guess I must have been tossing and turning, or perhaps shouting out or even crying, as I found myself gently shaken awake by Cass. "You're having a nightmare," she whispered.

"Sorry."

"No need to apologise. It's still early."

"I'll try not to wake you again."

I managed to get back to sleep, and that was a dreamless slumber, eventually waking as sunlight filtered through the curtains. Cass had moved during the night, her right arm now resting across my chest. I daren't move as her head was nestled on top of my shoulder. I was thankful that her snoring hadn't keep me awake, and I don't think it had woken me up, but I eventually felt the need to take a piss, so shuffled enough that she woke up. Looking at me through one eye, she started to laugh.

"Well, I know we didn't, but… Ugh, I still ended up snuggling against you."

"I was asleep. Don't worry. But I really need a piss."

"And, just like that, the moment is gone, Uhtred."

"I'll get dressed and head downstairs to grab us some breakfast."

Once both of us were dressed and breakfast had been consumed, we gathered up our weapons, put on our hats and headed out into the already building heat of the Mojave.

It was bound to be a long, hot but interesting day.


	9. Chapter 9 - Heartbreak Hotel

"Would you have stopped me if I tried to shoot her?" I asked as we walked away from the scrapyard. My mood, which had started to turn foul once the hangover hit, worsened once the old lady tried to swindle us out of a lot of caps.

"Eh, probably not, to be honest."

"I don't know where she got off trying to charge us that."

"Well, at least we managed to talk her down. Scaring her about a deluge of ghouls was a nice trick."

"Well, it was either that or shooting her. Just scaring her seemed the more humane thing to do. But like fuck was I handing over nearly all our caps just for a couple of bits of metal."

We walked along in silence for a couple of minutes before I heard her chuckle. I had to stop and stare at her. "Hangover's that bad?" she asked, sarcasm oozing in her tone.

"Remind me never to go drink for drink with you again, Cass." That made her laugh, which made me smile, and life didn't seem so bad after all. "So, do you have any idea where Clark Field is?"

She pointed in a vague direction south. "Somewhere over there. It's not too far."

We ended up on the highway we would have taken without the shortcut, the sun beating down on us and the road surface. It was hot underfoot, and the heat rising from the ground made it feel even hotter. Glancing up to see yet another cloudless sky, I was left wondering if it ever rained in the Mojave. I guess it would have to, as I had seen the occasional field of crops around, but maybe that was due to irrigation. I was generally left perplexed at times by the world I lived in, wondering how humanity survived in such harsh conditions.

After walking along for at least an hour or two, neither of us watching the time, Cass gestured towards a structure off to our left. "Clark Field," she said. "We should keep to the roads. Going off the beaten path is bound to get us into trouble."

Following a road off the highway, we ended up at an entrance towards the facility. I had no idea what it might have been. Asking Cass, she had no idea either. All she knew is that the area was a radioactive hotspot, so we'd best be careful. Add to that, there may be radioactive animals around, so it was best we find the body of the person who'd take the isotope and depart as quickly as possible.

For once, we were lucky, barely walking more than five minutes before coming across a dead body. Both of us crouching down, the body was covered in what I believed was a radiation suit. I obviously couldn't remember seeing one before, but I just had an inkling that's what it was. Looking through the clear panel, it was obvious the person inside had died of severe radiation poisoning. What was left of him was worse than a ghoul. Glancing at Cass, she was struggling to keep down breakfast, before she actually took a few steps away and threw up.

"Thought you had a stronger stomach than that, Cass," I stated with humour. She just gave me the finger without turning around.

I left the body alone and picked up the pack he carried. Taking out a pistol, which I dumped, ammo and caps, which I kept, I also found what looked like a journal and finally, what we were looking for. I checked the case for any cracks or leaks, and I was relieved that it appeared solid.

Popping the holodisk into my Pip-Boy, I could only think that the man in the radiation suit was a complete, bloody idiot. The name he christened himself was ridiculous in itself, but how he didn't realise he'd suffered radiation poisoning, and that the last thing he should have been doing was heading to Clark Field, was beyond me.

"Anything interesting?" Cass asked, taking a sip of water from her canteen, probably to eliminate the taste of anything else.

"Just this fool's journal."

"What makes you say that?" I passed her the holodisk and she read the contents. "What a fucking idiot!" she exclaimed a little later.

"My thoughts exactly."

"Right, that's everything. Should we head back?"

"Sooner we do this, the sooner we can talk to Manny and get the information I need."

We headed straight back to REPCONN, the walk a little longer due to be so far away from Novac. Using the hidden entrance, we found Chris in the same place we'd left him the day before. "Where the hell have you two been?"

"You do realise it was night-time when we left?" I asked.

"Oh…I had no idea."

"Are you saying you haven't slept?"

"I don't need sleep. There's too much work to do. It's taken me months to get these rockets prepared for launch."

"So why are you not down there now?"

"Jason has only ever wanted me to supervise the repairs, not carry them out myself."

I glanced at Cass. No doubt our thoughts were the same. _Jason has been using his expertise, knowing he is human, and looking out there at all those barrels, Chris would probably die in seconds from all the radioactive waste._ My thoughts were proven partially correct when a ghoul came and collected the parts Cass and I had collected, with Chris then spending a couple of hours instructing the others what to do through the intercom. But they must have been more prepared than I realised, as he announced once the thrusters were in place, and the fuel had been poured, that the rockets were ready for launch.

"That quickly?"

"I told you that we were nearly ready to go."

Chris declared the rockets were ready to go, watching as Jason and the ghouls disappeared for a few minutes, before they all returned wearing some sort of suit and helmet. _Space… suits? It makes sense, I guess. But why? Are they worried about radiation?_

The three of us then listened in as Jason gave a speech, for the ears of his fellow ghouls, but also for the three of us. And it was during the speech that Chris finally realised the ugly truth about himself. He was as human as Cass and I. Whether you could say he'd been used by the ghouls is up to opinion. I thought, at the time, that Chris was just mentally unstable, though clearly highly intelligent. I think Jason had probably tried to convince Chris he was human and he simply wouldn't listen to reason. So he made the best of a bad situation.

That's not to say Chris wasn't incredibly pissed off by the end of Jason's speech. "That bastard! He knew all along."

"Sounds like you wouldn't listen, Chris."

He turned on me, fury in his eyes. "Two years of my fucking life I've wasted here. Oh, how they must have laughed at me!"

"No, I think they appreciated all the help you've given them."

"Appreciate my help? Who…" He trailed off and sighed. "Oh, what does it matter? Can I blame them really? I remember he tried to tell me when I arrived… 'Chris, you're human. You're just bald. You're not a ghoul and you're not turning into one'. But I just wouldn't listen…"

"What on earth made you think you were actually a ghoul?" Cass wondered, "Have you not looked in a mirror?"

Chris shook his head. "No. I didn't want to see myself. As for what made me think that I was, well, I'm from Vault 34. And the reactor there suffered a leak. I started losing my hair, and I just thought that was the first symptom. Thinking I was going to become a ghoul, as we'd heard of them even in the vault, I just thought I should leave before I did change and the other vault dwellers decided what to do with me."

"Look, why don't we go launch the rockets then we can get out of here?"

"I've just spent two years of my life working with these people. I honestly thought I'd be going with them. I was prepared to leave Earth behind. What will I do now?"

I shared a glance with Cass. She just shrugged, so I guess it was my decision alone. "Well, you can come with me if you want?"

"You? Why would I want to do that?"

"Well, unless you want to stay here, or make a life for yourself in Novac, I think your life choices are rather limited at the moment. But I'm heading places."

"Where?"

"Not entirely sure yet. But I have a feeling I'll end up in New Vegas eventually."

A crack of a grin appeared. "I've only ever been there once before, stopping there after leaving the vault. I thought I'd enjoy a couple of days of fun before turning completely."

We headed upstairs to the mission control room. There was a control panel that Chris moved to, and I'll admit I was a little concerned when he starting keying a series of buttons, concerned enough that I had to ask what he was doing. He stopped and glanced back at me. "It's okay. I'm helping. I could make the rockets crash into each other if I wanted to. But even though I'm angry about it, I'm not that much of a bastard." He sighed again. "I actually wish them good luck. They've worked just as hard as I have to get to this point." He pointed at a smaller control panel. "Pull the lever then click the red button. That will start the launch sequence."

Music started to play as the dome across the other side of the valley slowly started to open, revealing the three rockets that Jason and his followers were now inside of. I'll admit the whole affair was a little exciting. _I wonder how long it's been since a rocket left Earth? Has man ever made it to the moon?_ A countdown seemed to echo across the entire facility. At the count of three, the engine of each rocket started, flames spitting from the rear of each one. At the count of zero, two of the rockets took off perfectly, shooting into the sky and disappearing from view immediately. The third rocket veered off at a completely different trajectory, and I looked at Chris.

"No concern necessary. The rocket will correct itself once it's out of the atmosphere and in orbit above Earth. It's all done by computers."

The music continued to play as the dome started to close. "Well, that was all rather exciting!" Cass stated.

"I have a feeling those will be the last rockets to leave the planet for a very long time," I added, "Come on, lets head back to Novac. I wouldn't mind relaxing a little before we decide what to do next."

Before leaving, Chris suggested we help ourselves to the remaining supplies, considering Jason and his followers were unlikely to return. There were some medical supplies we found that would come in handy, plus some ammo we found in a locker. Once we'd gathered everything we thought we'd need for the next part of journey, we departed.

Chris kept quiet during the hour or so long walk back to Novac. Cass and I left him to his thoughts, figuring he was feeling a little turmoil, that his whole life had been a lie ever since leaving Vault 34. I felt sympathy for him, particularly in regards to him feeling used, though I could also understand why Jason had done so. It was only thanks to his help that they had managed to leave on their 'Grand Journey'.

It had been another long day criss-crossing the countryside surrounding Novac, so by the time we arrived back at the motel, I was just ready to go back to my room with a bottle booze and sit back. But before doing that, I had to speak to Manny. He had information that I was now rather desperate to hear.

Cass said she would take Chris to her room for the time being as I walked up the stairs into the dinosaur. Walking out into the mouth, Manny was sitting on a chair, rather relaxed though his eyes were only for the horizon, not even turning as I knew he would have heard my approach. "You have information for me," I stated, hopefully in a tone that suggested I was tired of doing favours.

"The ghoul problem is taken care of?"

"In a manner of speaking, but yeah, you shouldn't have any more problems with them."

"Great. You have my thanks. Meet me at my bungalow once I've finished my shift at 21:00. I'll tell you everything you need to know."

"Fair enough."

I could have argued for him to tell me then and there, but it wasn't like I was going to just pack my things and head out onto the open road. Night time was only an hour or so away, so it would be least another night in Novac. Letting Cass and Chris know what was going on, I was just going to head back to my room and have a quick nap. I'd barely laid my head to down to rest, or so I thought, when there was a knock at the door. Figuring it was just Cass or Chris, I just said the door was open, so was left surprised when a man I didn't know entered.

Standing up quickly, I immediately grabbed the pistol I kept on the table next to my bed. The man immediately raised both his hands. "I mean no trouble. You just called me in, that's all."

"Who are you?"

"Name's Boone. I understand you're a man who can help with problems."

"I helped Manny because he has information that can help me. Why should I help you?"

Boone took a seat at the table as I sat on the edge of the bed, resting the pistol beside me. I didn't think I was in any danger, though I was left with the feeling this man was a soldier, or an ex-soldier, and had definitely seen some action. And that feeling was confirmed when he removed his sunglasses and our eyes met. _This is a man who has seen some shit._ "I'll level with you, stranger."

"Name's Uhtred," I said, holding my hand out. He grasped it, his grip firm. He didn't crush my hand, but it was the handshake of a man respecting his fellow man. On instinct, I just knew a handshake could tell you a lot about a man.

"Okay, Uhtred, I'll level with you. I'm ex-NCR. I served for many years before retiring to this little town with my wife. I know you've spoken with Manny and helped solve that ghoul problem. He served alongside me in the NCR. We were snipers."

"You worked together?"

"He was my spotter. Trusted that man more than anyone. Or, I did anyway."

"So what's the problem?"

"My wife. She's disappeared. Well, she's not disappeared. She was taken. I'm sure of it."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I know she wasn't happy here all the time. But we were in love, I know that much for sure. I gave up the service to be with her. And she wouldn't just leave me, not without saying something. If she did leave because it was my fault, it would have ended with an argument and the slamming of doors, telling me to go fuck myself or something. And if it did end like that, she would have at least left a note, explaining why, and probably even told me where she was going, just so I knew."

"Any suspects?"

"Honestly, everyone is. I know my wife could be hard work. Because she wasn't always happy here, she could be… Well, I know she wasn't exactly popular with everyone. But for someone to be behind her disappearance…"

"I could try and find her. I've got a couple of companions who could help out."

He shook his head. "She's been taken. And I know she's no longer alive."

"What makes you so sure she'd dead?"

"A husband just knows… Know what I mean?" I didn't, but I nodded my agreement. "As I said, everyone's a suspect. Even Manny. Even that Ranger who lives in one of the bungalows. Someone here is behind her disappearance. I want to know who, and then I want justice." I didn't even bother asking what sort of justice he meant. I'd learned enough since waking in Goodsprings that the only justice that took place in this harsh land was the barrel of a gun.

"And once that's done?"

"I leave Novac for good. There's nothing for me here now. Might go fight the Legion on my own terms. That would be a good death in the end, though I'll make sure I take a lot of them with me before I go down." I was ready to offer him another way out of Novac, but I wasn't sure he would accept the offer then and there. So I thought about the task he was offering. _He's keeping most of his emotions bottled up. Looks at his hands, the flexing, the slight shake he thinks no-one would notice. He's angry. More than angry. There's a fury bubbling underneath that needs to explode. I've already helped others and done plenty of favours. At least this job might not take us too far away from Novac._ "So, what do you say, Uhtred?"

I nodded. "I'll help you. I'll talk to my companions. We'll start talking to some locals, see what we learn. I know you suspect everyone, but who is your main suspect?"

"Honestly? Manny is." I know my eyes widened in surprise. He noticed. "He was my best friend. And he did not get on well with my wife at all. They constantly butted heads. Enough to be behind her disappearance? I don't know. I'm not sure about much anymore."

"Leave it with me. I'll see what I can do."

"You know the justice I want?" I nodded again. He removed his cap and handed it to me. "When you find out whoever was responsible, escort them to the bridge leading out of Novac. Wear that hat, and I'll know you've found the person responsible. I'll take care of the rest."

"Just be sure not to shoot me," I stated with at least a little humour.

He smirked, at least. "I never miss."

After Boone left, I waited around for another couple of hours, enjoying that nap I had wanted to take, before heading downstairs to speak to Manny. We enjoyed a rather long conversation as Manny went into rather a lot of detail about his life. It was rather interesting, but I couldn't tell him anything about mine. I made one or two assumptions, and he believed I definitely had some sort of military training, though he couldn't tell me if I'd ever served with the NCR or not. But by the end of it, I finally had a name, a general description of who I was after, and the next destination.

I was hunting a man named Benny.

And my next stop was Boulder City.

* * *

Cass and I met up in her room two days later. _So much for getting out of Novac quickly. But at least I know where I'm going next. And I still have a name. I'll ask every single person in New Vegas if I have to._ I had thought about involving Chris in our little task, but his head still wasn't right, verging on tears at one moment, and outright hostility and anger the next. So we got him a room and let him stew alone, though our doors were always open if he wanted to talk. He did pop in occasionally for a chat, but the topic of Jason and his followers, and anything to do with REPCONN, was avoided.

"So, what have you found out?" I asked Cass.

"Well, everyone is suspect, just as Boone said. Everyone seems to have some sort of motive, no matter how minor their problem was with his wife."

"I think Boone is wrong about Manny. I don't think he did it." Cass appeared surprised by that admission. "Look at it this way. If he had something to hide, I don't think he would be honest about his opinion. But he was honest, in fact brutally honest, when I asked him about Boone's wife. He admitted they didn't get along at all. Could barely hold a conversation with her before it descended into an argument. Add to that, Manny told Boone himself that he didn't like his wife. So I don't think he's going to tell his best friend that he hates his wife, then be involved in her disappearance. Add to that, I just don't see him as that sort of guy. If he really wanted to, he'd have killed her himself."

"So you're convinced he's innocent?" I nodded. "Well, I don't have a fucking clue then. I had a chat with the Ranger. He certainly isn't involved. Barely said two words to her, and considering he's crippled and generally confined to his bungalow, I just don't see him being involved. Cliff didn't think much of her personality, but he liked having her around for other obvious reasons. I was left with the feeling he had a soft spot for her, despite the obvious flaws."

"I had a chat with one or two of the farmers. Most barely knew who she was. They saw her around town, but if they said hello to each other, that was the extent of their conversation. I tried having a chat with that crazy bastard who wanders around town, but trying to understand what the fuck he's trying to say is a waste of time."

"So who does that leave?"

"Have you talked to the motel receptionist?"

Cass appeared surprised by the suggestion. "Do you think she's a suspect?"

I shrugged. "Boone thinks everyone is a suspect. Thing is, everyone I've talked to actually believes him, or at least believes that she was abducted. None of them believe she would have just taken off by herself. She didn't like Novac, but wouldn't have just left him without a word. Despite the fact she was unhappy, everyone believes they still loved each other and were at least trying to make a go of it here."

"Okay," Cass stated, nodding to herself, "I'll have a chat with her and see what she knows. She's certainly been friendly and full of information, so I'm sure she'll have plenty to say."

She returned to my room half an hour in silence. I was lying back on my bed and watched her shut the door so it barely made a sound before she sat down, removed her hat and immediately grabbed the bottle of whiskey. She didn't even attempt to put it in one of the glasses we had. She drank straight from the bottle, only stopping when she was on the verge of being sick. I really didn't want to ask why.

After slamming the bottle down and belching, she looked in my direction. "The bitch did it. I have no proof at all. But I know she's responsible. Absolutely, one hundred percent."

"What did she say?"

"I know when someone is lying to me, Uhtred. It comes with the business I'm in. People lie to me all the time. Everyone has a tell. She has plenty. Add to that, what did you say before? Everyone believes Boone about his wife being kidnapped. No-one believes she would have just up and left him."

"And I take it she…"

"She's adamant that she wasn't kidnapped. Thinks Boone is just grieving for his marriage falling apart. She's honest about not liking her, at least. Called her a floozy and pretty much called her a whore. But unlike Manny and the others, there was something else lying underneath the words. My gut was telling me it was her."

"So what do you think she did?"

"I don't know. But we have to find out. Search her home. Search her office. I don't know, just something to prove she's behind it. I got fucking chills up my spine when talking to her, Uhtred! She was so calm and collected when telling me flagrant lies to my face. I wanted to choke the bitch then and there."

"We'll wait until nightfall, then we'll do a little breaking and entering."

"Are you sure?"

"I trust you, Cass. If you think she's the one, then we'll check if she is or not." Telling her I trusted her made her smile. Then she groaned before running to the bathroom, closing the door behind her, though that didn't stop certain noises coming through.

I hadn't spoken to Boone since the day he'd entered my room and asked for my help. That was more his suggestion, thinking we shouldn't be seen talking too often, just in case whoever was involved started to put two and two together. But I really wanted to ask him about the motel receptionist and his opinion about whether he thought she was capable of being involved in his wife's kidnapping.

We waited until sundown before heading back outside. Walking across to the abandoned fuel station on the opposite side of the road, we stood around chatting until the receptionist walked out of the motel, locking the door behind her, before she headed to her house. We watched her walk by, keeping our eyes on her until she disappeared into a house in the middle of town. We waited another few minutes, making sure she wasn't going to make a surprise return, before we moved quickly but silently towards the reception.

I was ready to just kick the door in when Cass suggested we just try and pick the lock. I scoffed at the idea, simply grabbing the handle and using my shoulder. It took a couple of goes, but the door and lock were old, and it didn't take much pressure to bust the door open. Cass gave me a look as we entered, closing the door behind us.

There was just enough light to see, Cass and I splitting up as we started to search for evidence. To be honest, I had no idea what I was looking for, and after only ten minutes, I was scratching my bald head, wondering what the hell we would even find that would link her to the kidnapping. Cass was behind the desk and made a loud exclamation soon enough. "What?" I asked.

"There's a safe here." She looked my way. "Good thing you can't just break the lock through force. This will take some delicate hands."

"You can pick locks?"

"I haven't always been a trader. And some of the best things I've ever sold were not exactly sourced through legal means."

"I won't ask."

But I did watch her remove the hat covering her hair, taking a bobby pin that held it in place, watching it fall down past her shoulders. She then removed a screwdriver from her small pack and got to work. It took a few minutes of delicate handwork, but there was soon a tell-tale click, looking up at me with a broad grin. "Jackpot!" she exclaimed quietly.

I crouched down beside her as we rifled through the contents. The first thing I noted was the large bag, retrieving and opening it to reveal caps. A lot of caps. More than a motel receptionist should have to hand. Then there was the holodisk, Cass handing that to me. Inserting it into my Pip-Boy, the content was… heart-breaking.

"She was pregnant." Cass looked at me, upset in one moment, beyond angry in the next. "And I don't think she's dead. She was sold into slavery."

"How much?" she asked quietly.

"Fifteen hundred caps. Thousand for her, five hundred for the child."

"What the fuck are we going to tell Boone?"

"We'll handle the receptionist first. Then we talk to Boone. I'll make sure I grab her before she gets here in the morning. If she sees the busted up door and ransacked safe, she'll know we're onto her. I just want this resolved and then get the fuck out of this town."

"You and me both," Cass muttered.

I don't think either of us slept much that night, Cass joining me in my room this time. Nothing untoward happened, we didn't have that sort of relationship, both of us subconsciously laying boundaries, but we still enjoyed the company of the other. I think I'd had a couple of hours when my Pip-Boy woke me up, dressing quickly, ensuring I put on the hat Boone had given me, walking towards Jeanie May's house once I'd left Cass behind at the motel. It was perfect timing, as she was walking towards the motel. I plastered a fake smile on my face and waved in her direction.

"Morning, Jeanie May."

"Good morning, Uhtred. It's a fine morning, isn't it?"

"All the better for seeing you."

"Well, aren't you something?"

I felt sick to the gut but I had to go with it. "You won't believe what's happened overnight. Come to the bridge to look."

"What is it? Did someone try and attack the town?"

"You'll have to see it to believe it."

I even grabbed her hand, ignoring the feeling of my skin crawling at her touch as we strolled towards the bridge. Once we were halfway across, I brought us to a stop. "So, what am I looking at?"

I turned us around and I pointed. "Look at that!"

She must have known as she turned towards me. "You son of a…"

Those were the last words she ever said as I watched half her head disappear in an instant, my face covered in blood and brain, needing to close my eyes and mouth to stop the blood. I heard her body drop to the ground as I wiped my eyes and mouth, glancing down to see her limbs splayed at different angles, blood flowing from the wound on her head, the blood pooling on the ground.

Glancing back at the dinosaur head, I simply raised a thumb in the direction of Boone before I walked back towards the motel.

It was time to get the fuck out of Novac for good.


	10. Chapter 10 - Ruins

Boone offering to join my ever expanding little group wasn't a surprise. With no reason to remain in Novac, I was his best excuse to leave. I was left wondering, had I denied his offer, if he would have just taken off and fought the Legion by himself. But both he and I knew that was nothing short of suicide. I asked him to prove his talent from the mouth of the dinosaur, and he was taking out targets at distances I certainly couldn't hit.

With Boone leaving, I had a feeling Novac would eventually empty. His parting with Manny was bittersweet more than anything. The two had obviously been friends for a long time, but their falling out was still fresh in the memory. The pair at least shook hands before we departed, wishing each other good lucky, and Manny even apologised, not for disliking his wife, but just for the fact she had been taken. Boone was gracious enough to accept it.

Cass nor I had yet told Boone of what we'd discovered. I tried broaching the subject as we hit the highway out of Novac, but Boone insisted he didn't want to know. "She's dead, Uhtred. Other than that, I don't want to know."

"Are you sure you don't want the caps?"

"It's blood money. But don't feel bad for keeping it. Consider it payment for taking care of the ghouls and then helping me find the person responsible. You're going to need them a lot more than I am."

"Are you sure?"

"I am. But thanks for asking."

There was at least a little good news regarding the floating robot. It now had a name. Well, sort of. Chris, being the technical wizard he'd already proven to be, was surprised to see I was followed by it out of my room upon departure. "Where'd you get the eyebot?"

"Is that what it is or what it's called?"

"I'm sure it has some sort of official name, but they're called eyebots. They're pre-war machines. I'm amazed you found one that is still functional."

"For what purpose were they built, exactly?" To that question, Chris could only shrug. "Well, it's been helpful so far," I explained, "It has a weapon and has proven to be an effective scout."

The eyebot beeped at that, a rather happy set of notes, I thought. I had spoken, for want of a better term, with the eyebot in my room and I had come up with a system. I would only ask it yes or no questions, or only ask it questions it could answer with a number. It would beep once for 'yes' and twice for 'no', or would beep however many numbers I needed. It had proven to be an effective system so far.

We'd only walked an hour or so when I noticed the enormous building off to our left, asking my companions what it was. "That's Helios One," Chris replied, "It's the only functioning power plant I know of in the Mojave. Well, apart from the Hoover Dam, but that isn't exactly in the best working condition either. That's not to say it's not providing power, but I know the NCR are still trying to get it completely operational. More importantly, it proves fresh water."

"Who runs it now?" I wondered.

"The NCR hold both Helios and Hoover Dam. But from what I know, which isn't a whole lot, they can't get the power plant to function properly at Helios. But, then again, it's pre-war technology, and anyone who would have understood it has been dead for two hundred years."

"Don't suppose you would know anything about it?" Cass asked, slightly tongue in cheek I thought.

Chris just shrugged. "I could give it a go, but the NCR aren't just going to let the four of us stroll on site and have a poke around."

I couldn't help but look at Boone. He returned my glance and shook his head. "Don't even bother asking. I'm ex-NCR. They'll tell me to piss off, just like yourselves. Besides, I thought you wanted to hunt down this Benny character."

"Merely wondering about the power plant, that's all." I glanced at Chris. "Plus, it might give our engineering friend a job."

"Do you think they'd take me?"

I shrugged. "No harm in finding out. Anyone objections to trying?"

There were none, so we turned off the road and headed overland towards the power plant. About fifty metres out, I noticed a few soldiers on patrol, a couple of dogs on a leash, so I figured the plant might have more defences than any of us realised. I knew our progress was being watched, quietly asking everyone to holster their weapons. Around twenty metres away from the barricade, we found weapons now trained on us, though who I assumed was the officer in charge raised a hand.

"Who approaches?" she called.

Boone stepped forward next to me. "Lieutenant Craig Boone. 1st Recon Battalion. Retired."

The female officer returned a half-salute. "Lieutenant Haggerty. What brings you to Helios One?"

Boone gestured to me. "We were just wondering about this place. What is it?"

She cast me with a suspicious glance, though I think having Boone in our ranks probably helped. Eventually she just shrugged. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I would be expecting a lot more noise from this place if it was working, so I'm assuming it's not. One of my companions here, Chris, is an engineer and knows a thing or two about sciences. Is that right, Chris?"

"It is."

"Are you offering help?" the Lieutenant asked, and I didn't miss the hope in her voice.

"Well, not all of us, but did you happen to see the rockets that flew by the other day?" I wondered.

"Yeah, where did they come from?"

"REPCONN. And Chris was responsible for getting those birds in the air. He's now looking to offer his help wherever it's needed. A few caps wouldn't go amiss, but he needs work."

She didn't need any more convincing, thumbing behind at the door leading into the power plant. "Your friend can enter, at least. You're looking for the idiot in the sunglasses. He's been here for months trying to get this damned place working. I know for a fact he's been lying to us, but the decision wasn't mine at the time, and trying to convince my superiors is like talking to a brick wall. I'd have had him shot otherwise."

Looking at Chris, I asked, "Will this do for now?"

"It will. I look forward to another challenge."

"Once you get this working, I'm sure we'll find you plenty more work otherwise," the Lieutenant added.

Shaking hands with Chris, he said, "I'll try and keep in touch, Uhtred. Communication isn't easy, but I have a feeling someone like you will be easy to find."

"Good luck. And if I'm ever in need of an engineer or a scientist, I'll know where to go."

"If you want to follow me," one of the NCR troops said, gesturing to the door, and after Chris shook the hand of everyone else in our group, he headed towards the door, turning and waving at us a final time, before disappearing.

Without another word, we headed back to the road north.

The highway was rather dull, with very little around us once we left the power plant behind. It was flat and rather featureless, absolutely no shade around, with the sun continuing to beat down on us, it was all rather uncomfortable. The good thing is that we did actually pass a couple of caravans. They all knew Cass, and she received plenty of questions about what she was doing with us. Her replies were rather terse, and they were smart enough to sense that something had happened. But we managed to buy one or two supplies, including a little food, which were running low on, and all the purified water they carried.

Following ancient signs to Boulder City, we eventually reached a junction, turning right to follow the highway onwards. What eventually greeted our eyes beggared belief, and I was left wondering how recent the destruction was.

"This was a city, right?" I asked as we came to a stop, still some distance away.

"Well, they called it a city but…" Cass replied, but trailed off.

"I count three buildings still standing," I added, "What the hell happened here?"

We all looked at Boone. "I don't want to talk about it. I'm sure there are others you can ask."

It wasn't a city. It was three buildings, maybe one or two more, but the piles of rubble looked new. _I don't think this is the work of bombs from two hundred years ago. This looks… recent. Very recent._ It was eerily quiet and the road leading towards the city was deserted, no-one coming or going from the ruins. On the approach to the outskirts of the city, there appeared to be some sort of stone plinth. Standing in front of it was a soldier, who turned upon hearing our approach.

"What's that?" I asked, gesturing to the plinth.

"The list of the fallen during the First Battle of Hoover Dam," Boone replied quietly.

It was a long list of names. I noticed Boone remove his cap and lower his head in respect. Cass and I at least removed our hats and joined in the moment of silence.

"And what happened here?" I followed up a minute later, this time gesturing at the ruins.

"This is… was Boulder City. It was part of the front-line during the first war against the Legion. NCR soldiers drew in the best the Legion had to offer after packing digging enormous trenches, packing them with dynamite, and laying nearly every single building with explosives. Once the Legion were deep in the bowels of the city, the NCR blew it up. They say the sound of the explosion was heard all the way back to the west coast."

"Not surprising. There's nothing left," Cass stated quietly.

"They won't rebuild. It will be left as a memorial to the fallen," Boone said.

Thanking him for the information, the three of us plus the eyebot walked closer to the ruins. I thought I could see movement within them, Boone suggesting there might still be an NCR presence within them. _Well, I was told Benny and his friends had headed this way. Maybe they will know something about it?_

Boone recognised the NCR uniforms and pointed us in the direction of who he assumed was the CO. He was busy relaying orders to his subordinates as we approached, only turning upon a cleared throat from Boone. He appeared surprised by our appearance, though whether that was from not hearing us approach, or he didn't expect to see civilians, I wasn't sure. His eyes moved over us before resting on Boone.

"1st Recon?"

"I was."

"You fought here, didn't you?"

"What feels like a long time ago now. Lot's happened since then."

He looked over our group again before his eyes rested on me. "I'm not sure what a bunch of civilians are doing here. Boulder City isn't off limits to anyone, but there's nothing here for anyone. Not anymore."

"I'm looking for someone. I was told he was heading this way." I removed my hat. "I'm sure you can understand why."

He remained silent for a few moments, obviously thinking. He held out a hand, which I grasped. "Lieutenant Monroe."

"Uhtred."

"Strange name."

"Stranger times."

He gestured for us to follow as he continued. "Okay, here's the situation. There's a group of Great Khans holed up in the ruins. I would assume they are the people you are looking for."

"I'm specifically looking for a man in a checked suit."

Monroe shrugged. "I haven't seen anyone by that description, but he may have left before we arrived. We only came here because we heard of Khan presence. Unfortunately, we walked straight into an ambush and they now hold two of my people hostage. They've threatened retribution should we attempt to take them back by force."

"What about negotiating?"

"The NCR does not negotiate with groups like the Khans. But I'm waiting for orders. I don't want to be responsible for the murder of two of my squad."

"I'm hoping they might have information for me. Why don't you let me get in close and see if I can get the information while also freeing your people."

"And what will you want in return?"

"Nothing. I just want the information."

"If you can get them to release the hostages and relinquish their weapons, I'd be willing to let them return home. This is just a bad situation that's blown out of control."

"Really?" Boone asked in surprise, "You'd just let them go?"

Monroe looked at Boone. "We've done enough to their people. Surely you understand?"

"More than you know," Boone muttered, "I'd better not go in, Uhtred. They see me in a 1st Recon hat, they'll just start shooting. I'll wait back here."

"Why don't both of you wait back here for now. I'll be fine. That includes you, eyebot. I think they'd probably take a shot at you for fun."

There were murmurs of disagreement, even from the eyebot, a series of beeps which even I could interpret. Monroe led me to where his troopers were waiting. I noticed four of them perched on ruins, their rifles aimed across what looked like no man's land. Monroe explained he had at least another half a dozen soldiers spread throughout the ruins, all under orders not to open fire. He pointed towards one of the few buildings still standing, around a hundred or so metres away.

"We know there are Khans spread out from around fifty metres backwards. Their numbers are few, but we don't know where they all are. But we know they are definitely in that building over there."

Sharing a glance with my colleagues, noticing a grimace from Boone and Cass nothing but worried, I made sure I didn't carry a weapon as I started to cross the divide. It was so quiet; I could even hear the wind whistle through the ruins. I wasn't nervous at all. If the Khans wanted to shoot me, so be it. But I knew they were stuck in these ruins for a reason, and I only wanted answers from them. I knew it was Benny that pulled the trigger. I couldn't remember it, but from everything Manny had told me, he was the man I wanted above all.

Around three quarters of the way across, stumbling over the ruins of what may have once been houses or apartments, I heard someone yell out for me to stop and raise my hands. I immediately did so, wanting to prove my co-operation. "What the fuck do you want?" someone called out. I looked for the source of the voice but couldn't place it.

"Information," I replied.

"About what?"

"The man who shot me."

There was silence for a good couple of minutes, figuring that words may have passed from whoever want on the front lines to whoever was in charge. Eventually I saw someone pop up out of cover. I think it was a woman, though the mohawk haircut, tattoos and dirt on the face and body, and the lack of breasts, left me wondering. Then she spoke, and any doubt was removed, though the rifle pointed in my direction left me with my hands still raised.

"No sudden moves or it won't only be me putting a bullet in you."

"I just want to talk."

"You NCR?"

I laughed. "Do I look like one?" I retorted, ensuring I removed my hat, "As I said, I just want to talk. I want the man who left me with these."

I read her eyes and her face. I wasn't hideous. I'd seen myself in a mirror and, while there was damage, it could probably have been a whole lot worse. It was only a couple of scars, and I figured they'd continue to heal with each day, week and month that passed. But there was little doubt I'd been shot in the head as I put my hat back on.

"You'd better follow me," the Khan suggested.

I found myself following three of them through the ruins towards the lone building in the distance. I didn't see any more Khans, though assumed they may have been hidden elsewhere, as the entire city was little more than ruins, piles of bricks, steel and masonry. There were two Khans guarding the doorway, one of them knocking as we approached.

"Who's this?" the other asked.

"He wants to talk."

Both guards looked me up and down. "He NCR?"

"He says he's not. I'm inclined to believe him."

"Well, if he can get us out of this mess…"

The Khan woman opened the door before standing to the side, gesturing for me to enter. The room I walked into was dimly lit by no more than a couple of lamps. There was only one man waiting for me, and the face he made upon walking in would have made me laugh at any other time.

"What the hell? You're that courier Benny wasted back in Goodsprings. You're supposed to be dead."

I removed my hat again, what was becoming a common occurrence whenever I happened to meet someone new. "Not dead yet. And you took something that belonged to me."

"Well, you're shit out of luck when it comes to that…"

Stepped forward, I placed my hat carefully on the counter, leaning forward slightly as I placed my hands down. "Right, what you are going to do now is tell me everything you know. Do that, and I won't put a bullet in you."

"And you won't walk out of here alive."

"I survived being shot in the head. And I've been through worse since then. Trust me, I will be walking out of these ruins alive, whether you're dead in this building or walking out alongside me."

"What do you mean?"

"First, talk. Tell me everything you know."

He appeared to mull over his options. Part of me thought he'd reach for a gun and just try and put me down. Perhaps try and finish what Benny started. But I noticed that other part of his brain, the more sensible part, realised he had options that might mean he and his people would survive. He eventually nodded, and gestured for me to follow into a back room, where a desk and a couple of chairs were placed. I took a seat and he was polite enough to offer a drink, pouring a couple of fingers of whiskey into a mug.

"Name's Jessup. If you don't already know, I'm a Khan."

"Uhtred, the courier you and your friends kidnapped and attempted to murder."

"Yeah, I know… Look, I know we tried to kill you, but will you believe me when I say it was all Benny's idea?"

"From what I've learned about this Benny, and to be honest, I don't know a whole lot, he sounds like a bit of a cunt."

Jessup laughed. "That's about right. Look, I know we did you no favours. But I can assure you that he pulled the trigger."

"I know that."

"Okay, and I'm sure you've figured out Benny isn't here."

"Tell me everything you know about him. That's all I want. If you don't have the chip, which again, to be honest, even I know nothing about, then I want to know about the man."

"Ever heard of The Chairmen?" I shook my head. "Big shots who run a casino on the Strip. Called The Tops. I have friends who work there, came to me with news about this big job Benny wanted to pull. You were the target. I'll give you credit, you didn't go down easily."

"Yeah, I don't remember that. I don't remember anything from before waking up in Goodsprings." He looked ready to apologise, so I stopped him. "Whether you mean it or not, it doesn't matter. All that matters now is finding Benny."

"If he's anywhere, he's back on the Strip. And he has the chip. Don't ask me what the fuck it does, because I don't have a clue. We were paid to grab you, put you in the ground, then escort him back to Vegas. But he turned out be a fuckin' snake."

"How so?"

"He offered more caps than we could have dreamed of. Probably more than was realistic for the job we were going to pull. But with the sum offered, we couldn't say no. He gave us half before, and was going to give us half back on the Strip. Then he turned on us." I finished the mug he had given me, carefully placing down the mug. I made sure I'd left my coat on, but open enough so he would have seen my holstered pistols. And there was little doubt he saw them, though I made absolutely no move or suggestion that I was going to start firing. "So what happens now?" he asked.

"You've given me the information I wanted. You didn't put the trigger. My quarrel is not with you."

"Seriously?"

"I have said since waking up in Goodsprings that I was only ever after the trigger man. Anyone else involved was incidental. An eye for an eye. That's all I'm after."

"So what happens to us?"

"There is a second reason why I've been sent in here. The NCR troopers you have as hostages. If you release them, the Lieutenant in charge has assured me that you can go free, though you will have to relinquish your weapons."

"You're serious?" I nodded. "But without weapons…"

"Better than remaining here and eventually falling in a gun battle. If this isn't resolved peacefully, the NCR will send more soldiers here and you will eventually die."

"Can I have time to think about this?"

I shrugged. "Sure. I'll let the Lieutenant know you're considering options. If you do choose to release them, make sure you follow behind without weapons in hand."

"I will do."

I stood up and was immediately going to leave when Jessup called after me. "Hey, Uhtred," he said, throwing something at me. I caught it and looked at the object in my hand, recognising it as a lighter, "When you eventually catch up with Benny, before you kill him, make sure to shove that up his arse first. And give him a bullet from the Khans."

I nodded before turning and walking out of the building.

Everyone waiting for me was surprised to see me looking so well, even… happy. I wasn't happy, but I was certainly content. I now had everything I needed, though I knew getting onto the Strip, into the casino, and then facing down Benny was not going to be easy at all. But I had a complete objective now. It felt… comforting. I finally knew what I was doing, though after that… Well, I suppose I had options.

"Lieutenant, I managed to get the Khans to agree to release the hostages. In addition, they will relinquish weapons and follow the hostages out. Is that agreeable?"

"I've just had word from HQ that we're to storm the building, but I'm ignoring that request. Some of us remember…" He shook his head. "Never mind, you probably don't know about it. Well," he then looked at Boone, "Maybe some of us do."

"Yeah, some of us…" Boone muttered.

"You've done us a favour here, Uhtred. Where are you headed now?"

"The Strip."

"Well, if you ever find yourself in the region of Camp McCarran, I'll pass word on that you're a friend of the NCR. You might even find yourself a job if you want one."

"I have my own situation to resolve first, but I'll certainly consider it afterwards."

We shook hands before he wished me and my companions good luck. As soon as we were out of the ruins, my companions had a million and one questions about what I'd learned. I told them the basics, as the whole story wasn't important. What I did want to know about from them was the Strip. Mostly what to expect and what opposition I might run into.

"Just getting onto the strip might be difficult," Cass explained, "You need a caps. A lot of caps, otherwise the securitrons will stop you."

"How many do you need?"

Cass shrugged. "The price changes constantly. Sometimes up. Sometimes down. I think they just do it on a whim to piss people off."

"Well, we have the money from the jobs in Novac. Will that be enough?"

"I guess we'll find out when we get there."

It was getting late by the time we left Boulder City behind, re-joining the highway that should have taken us all the way to New Vegas. Approaching what appeared to be a bridge, I was surprised to see a small town appeared to have formed, a couple of shacks and the carcasses of vehicles providing rudimentary shelter to the elements. There were a few people around, sitting at some tables and chairs, Cass explaining that, in addition to a home for a few people, this was a rest stop for travellers and traders, with protection provided by the NCR.

Stopping on the bridge, I surveyed the scene ahead, the tall buildings of New Vegas in the distance, though much closer than ever before. _And somewhere in there is Benny. I wonder if he feels me closing in on him. I wonder if he knows I'm still alive._ Lost in thought, I didn't hear anyone approach me until they were by my side.

"No offence, but you look like you've travelled a long way down some bad roads. Where have you come from?"

I'll admit, the blunt remark made me laugh. "Why do you ask?"

"I see travellers all day, every day. Most are soldiers, merchants or civilians coming to and from Vegas. Your little group looks… different."

I still hadn't glanced in the direction of the voice, keeping my eyes on the horizon. The voice was friendly, though, so I knew there wasn't going to be any trouble. "I guess it is. But we are on our way to Vegas too. Just for a different reason that most other people."

"What reason would that be?" I finally turned towards the voice, noticing a hooded woman look back at me. I'll admit straight away that I thought she was… pretty. _Can a woman be pretty or are they only beautiful? Er, never mind._ But her face matched her voice, and when she lowered the hood, I know I smiled. She noticed. "Yeah, I wouldn't get any ideas." The tone made me laugh. _Well, that's a warning if ever I've heard one._

I removed my hat so she would get a good look at the scars. "That's why I'm on my way to Vegas." I heard her gasp. "I am after the man who did that," I added before placing my hat back on my head.

"I would ask who and why, but I guess they don't really matter now, right?"

"The only thing that matters is finding the man who did it. I already know who. I already know why. Now there is only… I wouldn't even call it justice. I just want him in my sights. Then I will return the favour."

She held out a hand. "I'm Veronica."

"Uhtred," I replied, shaking her hand, "So, you've approached me for a reason. Do you want something?"

It was a rather blunt question, but I knew what people were now like. They would only talk to me if they wanted something. But she didn't reply to my question directly, gesturing towards one of the nearby tables. Once we sat down and ordered a drink, she asked, "What do you think of all this?" gesturing at the horizon.

"Well, considering I have no memory of my life before taking a bullet in the head, I'd say it's an ugly harsh landscape. Life is hard. Conditions are brutal. And it seems like everything and everyone wants to kill you."

She laughed. "That sounds about right. Do you know where you are from?"

"No, I don't remember. If anyone asks, I just say I'm from Goodsprings. That's where I woke up. That's where this part of my life began."

"You ever heard of the Brotherhood of Steel?"

"I've heard the name. Other than that, no, I know nothing about them."

Boone must have been listening in, as he approached the table, taking a seat alongside me. Cass joined too, sitting next to Veronica. "We fought them," Boone stated, "The NCR. You remember that power plant we dropped Chris off at?"

"Helios One?" I asked.

He nodded. "We fought the Brotherhood for control of it. I'll give them credit. They fought tooth and nail to retain control of it."

I looked at Veronica, noticing her face fall slightly. "We lost a lot of good people trying to keep control. And after that, we retreated to our bunker and that is where they still are. I was born and raised in that bunker, and I'm one of the few allowed out."

"So are you a soldier?"

"No, I'm a scribe."

"Why are you out here?"

"A couple of reasons. One, to gather resources. Two, to gather information. But can I be honest about something?"

"Sure."

"I crave… I don't know, adventure. But remaining around here is getting me nowhere, and I hate being kept on some sort of leash." I couldn't help chuckle. "What?" she asked, confused by my laughter.

I glanced at Cass beside her. "Looks like you won't be the only woman now, Cass." I then turned to Boone. "Will this be a problem?"

"My beef is with the Legion, not the Brotherhood."

"So can I join you?" Veronica asked hopefully.

"What do you hope to get out of joining me? My task is simple at the moment. Get to Vegas, find the man who shot me then deal with him. After that…"

"Any ideas for 'after that'?"

"Find out who I was and what I was doing here. I haven't met a single person yet who knows me. I want to know why that is."

"All of that sounds much better than what I'm doing now. And before you ask, the Brotherhood can take care of itself. What I manage to take back can easily be sourced by others."

"What do you guys think?" I asked the others. Their replies ranged from positive to they didn't really care, it was my decision in the end. Looking back at Veronica, I simply said, "Welcome aboard."

It was dark by the time we'd finished our conversation, fires having been started in barrels at either end of the bridge, and at various points in between, providing warmth and light. Cass had another bottle of whiskey, the four of us sharing a few drinks, the other three sharing stories of their lives. Boone didn't exactly share a lot himself, a rather private figure, while Cass managed to find humour in some parts of her past.

Boone asked me for a favour upon waking the next morning. Once he described what he wanted to do, I agreed immediately.


	11. Chapter 11 - Warrior

I thought the idea was sheer suicide, but I couldn't say no. Not once Boone had told me the truth about his wife. _No wonder he's completely broken, verging on suicidal. It certainly explains his rather taciturn nature._ The sun had barely risen, but I had opened a bottle of whiskey once he started to tell his story. We were at least three drinks in once he finished. "You had to do it," I stated.

"I know I had to, Uhtred. But I still put a bullet in her. It was that or…"

I toyed with my Pip-Boy. "Are you sure you want to see it?"

He nodded and met my eyes. "I know the truth, Uhtred. She hadn't told me, but I knew."

"I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't be. What I did was for the best. But now it's time to settle the score. I want to kill them all, Uhtred. But just the name on that list will be enough."

"And he'll be at Cottonwood Cove?"

"I can put a face to the name. If he's not there, he'll be across the river. And if I see him in my sights, I'll take him out."

"And what about the rest of the Legion?"

"We'll be gone before they have a chance to respond."

Once Cass and Veronica were up and about, Boone and I sat them down and explained what we were going to do. To say they thought we were nuts would be an understatement, but once Boone told them everything that happened in Novac, their disagreements ended immediately. Instead, they asked if we wanted them to accompany us. Boone shook his head. "No, the fewer numbers, the better. That region is Legion country. Uhtred will be my spotter for this. I take out the man who made the agreement with… her, then we return here."

"Do you two mind waiting here?" I asked of Cass and Veronica.

"It's fine. Been here for a while anyway," Veronica replied. Cass simply shrugged her shoulders.

"We should head back towards Novac, Uhtred. From there, it's best we steer clear of the roads. Once we're near Cottonwood Cove, we'll find a good spot."

Wishing us good luck, Boone and I wasted little time packing our few supplies and taking the road heading back the way we'd just come. I'll admit I was a little annoyed to be treading over ground already covered, but at least he'd told me before we had reached New Vegas. We didn't talk much, though agreed to make it to Novac before deciding what to do next.

Making it to Novac quicker than either of us assumed, still plenty of light left in the day, we decided which way to take. "Why not that way?" pointing down a road heading east.

Boone shook his head. "That way leads to Nelson. We don't want to go there." I was about to ask why, but a look suggested I should let the subject drop immediately. "We'll keep to the highway south. There's a prospector camp along the way where we can stop for the night."

"And after that?"

"We keep heading south, turning east. We'll look for the road heading to Cottonwood Overlook."

"How close is it to the Legion lines?"

"Close enough where we can see everything. Far enough away that we should be able to make our escape."

"Should?"

He glanced in my direction. "We'll make it back."

Our progress must have been noted, as we heard someone calling for us not long after leaving Novac behind. Coming to a halt, we turned to see Manny chasing after us. I heard Boone sigh, and I knew this was a conversation he didn't particularly want. Manny must have noticed his face, as his jog slowed to a walk, finally coming to a stop a few metres away.

"Where are you going, Boone?"

"South."

"What for?"

"Personal reasons."

"You're going to get yourself killed. If not yourself, your companion."

"I can take care of myself," I stated, though appreciated what he actually meant.

"I'm doing what needs to be done, Manny. You should know that," Boone added.

"She's not coming…"

Boone stepped forward. "Don't talk about her," he growled, I figured through gritted teeth.

Manny looked past Boone to me. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

I shrugged. "I understand why. So I'm willing to help."

"And I don't need yours, Manny. So go home."

He looked disappointed by the harsh tone, but he could read body language well enough. Boone wasn't exactly angry, but it was obvious the relationship the two men had once shared, professional or otherwise, had well and truly disappeared. Manny looked between Boone and myself in silence before he seemed to fully understand the situation, merely nodding his head in Boone's direction before turning around and walking back to Novac.

Without a word, Boone turned around and we continued our journey to the rest stop. There was a lone traveller at the camp as we dumped our things and took a seat by the fire. The traveller asked where we were heading. Of course Boone lied, saying we were heading to the outpost. The traveller said they were heading to New Vegas. Having never been there before, he asked us for any advice. We simply told him to be careful on the road north. The highway was relatively safe, but you could never be too sure.

We rose at dawn the next morning, the traveller wishing us good luck as we departed. The further south we headed, the more the atmosphere and landscape changed, Boone eventually bringing us to a halt. "Camp Searchlight is just ahead. We don't want to go there. We'll head off the road now and swing around."

Heading overland, there was no what I would call cover. Certainly trees nor scrubland that we could use to hide our progress. I thought we were now very close to Cottonwood Cove, and even when crouched down, I thought we would have stood out. But whether our progress was noticed or tracked, I didn't know.

Crossing the main road leading to Cottonwood Cove was probably the most worrying part of our journey so far, knowing we would be completely exposed for at least ten seconds. Boone was in the lead, and we watched for any traffic. Once he was confident, he simply burst from cover, keeping low, and I made sure I stepped where he stepped, and I figured we got across the gap without being seen. Or that was the hope.

Boone led me towards the overlook, eventually finding a position where we could see Cottonwood Cove below us. He handed me a pair of binoculars, and through his scope, we checked the other side of the river too. "Do you know who you're looking for?" I whispered.

"He'll be wearing one of those stupid head pieces."

"What if there's more than one of them?"

Taking the binoculars from my eyes, I glanced in his direction. He returned my look. "Then I guess we might be killing more than one, Uhtred."

I kept any thoughts to myself, at least for the moment, and resumed my watch of the cove below. I could see Legion soldiers on parade, a few walking the perimeter, one or two in guard towers. Across the river, it was more difficult to see, but there was little doubt the camp was enormous, and legionnaires must have numbered in their thousands. I had no real care for the NCR or Legion, but having seen what the Legion had done in Nipton, I certainly didn't want them as an enemy.

So focused we were on trying to find the man Boone wanted that we never heard them coming. I guess our progress had been noted. I'm not sure since when, but when I felt the cold steel press into the back of my head, I knew Boone and I were well and truly fucked.

"Profligate scum," a voice growled behind us.

A glance towards Boone suggested he wanted to do something very stupid. I very subtly shook my head. _Now is not the time to fight._ Grabbed by the collar, I found myself hauled to my feet, surrounded by a dozen legionaries. Nearly all eyes moved from me to Boone once they hauled him up, the beret on his head would have stood out like a beacon.

"NCR!"

"Retired," Boone replied.

The legionnaire looked at me. "I'm a courier."

I guess he didn't like my tone. Or the smirk on my face. I felt a crack on the back of my head and my world turned black once again.

* * *

I woke up as water was splashed over me. Trying to move, I quickly realise my hands and ankles had been bound behind me, glancing back to see I'd been tied to a post. _Guess I should be glad I'm not up on a cross, from what I've seen before._ Blinking rapidly, my eyes adjusting to the light, I looked around for Boone, but I couldn't see any sign of him.

Looking down, I realised I'd been stripped down to my underwear. Where my guns, coat and everything else had been taken, I didn't know yet. Finally looking up at the person who had splashed water over me, I met his eyes. He glared at me in return. "Consider yourself lucky to still be breathing. If I had my way, you'd be up on a cross."

I said nothing. I had no memory, but I knew when to keep my mouth shut. And I'd keep it shut unless asked a direct question.

"If you're wondering where you are, I'll be polite enough to inform you. You're currently in Cottonwood Cove." He pointed somewhere I couldn't see. "You were just up on that hill over there. But what you didn't know is that we had been tracking your progress since leaving Novac. Anyone wearing a beret of the NCR was always going to gain our attention. We simply wanted to know what he wanted."

I said nothing. A couple of sarcastic remarks came to mind, but I knew the man in front of me held all the power. My head was still sore from whatever had hit me before.

"Consider yourself lucky. Caesar wants to know who you are and what you wanted. While you may not speak to the man himself, he does wants you and your friend brought across to the main camp."

"Where is my friend?" I finally asked. I'll admit the fact I couldn't see Boone was a concern.

"We are taking good care of him."

"So he's still alive?"

"For the moment. Caesar will make final judgement." Well, that was something, though I dreaded to think what they were going to do with him. "I wouldn't worry about him, _courier_. I'd worry about yourself. I don't know if you're NCR or not, but you were working with a profligate. As far as I'm concerned, you're even worse for allying with them."

With those words, he turned and walked away, leaving me bound to the pole. The bastards had tied me in such a way that I couldn't relax. If I did, my shoulders felt like they were going to be wrenched out of their sockets. I must have been sat on my knees for at least a few hours, the entire time under the baking sun, feeling the skin on my head almost start to cook, covered in sweat despite the fact I wasn't really doing anything.

They left me there for at least one night, though I wasn't sure how long I'd been out, whether I'd already been held for two. I didn't sleep as I never got comfortable, so by the time the camp burst into life the next morning, I was exhausted. It was midday before anyone approached me. I was brought no food or water. Instead, the restraints around my wrists and ankles were taken off, and before I could even think about fighting back, I was blindfolded, my hands bound in front of me, and feeling the barrel of a gun in my back, told to move.

The crossing only took a few minutes once I'd been sat down on the boat. I had wondered if the Legion had built a bridge, but if they had, they were certainly not going to give someone like me any indication. It was a short crossing, though I was sure they circled the boat at least three times, before we docked and I was dragged ashore. I heard no mention of Boone, nor heard his voice, so was still wondering where he was.

Dragged by my bound wrists, my tired, hungry, thirsty body nearly gave out once or twice climbing what felt like a hill, before I was turned and forced into my knees again.

"Don't move," a voice warned. I heeded that warning for the time being.

I was only kept there a few minutes before my blindfold was removed, blinking rapidly as I was nearly blinded by the light. Looking around, I could see plenty of legionaries and what I could only assume were slaves. Looking back at the man in front of me, I could barely see his eyes for the thing on his head.

"Profligate."

"Uhtred."

That earned me a crack around the ear from someone standing behind me. "You are a profligate. If it were my choice, you would be crucified, though only after we learned all about you." Then a smirk appeared. "But we know enough, courier. We know you survived being shot in the head. We know you have fought your way across the Mojave searching for the man who shot you."

"You know a lot about me."

Another crack across the head. "Silence." I glared at him, the smirk that had disappeared reappearing for a moment. "You have proven your toughness, your strength. Therefore, Caesar has decreed that you will fight."

"I won't fight for him."

"You won't fight with us. You are not worthy of the Legion. At least, you're not yet. But you will fight to entertain. You will be put into the ring. You will fight who we say you will fight. You will kill who we say you should kill. Refuse to do this, and you will die."

I could only think of one question. "Why?"

"Caesar believes killing you will be a waste. He believes you can be moulded, turned into just the man he will want. Oh, believe me, Caesar has plans for you. Why don't you just sit there a while and think it over. Not that you actually have a choice."

There wasn't a lot to think about, but they left me tied to the post until the next morning before I was finally released and escorted to what could only be considered a cage. After at least two days without sleep, food and water, I wasn't in the best state, but considering they wanted me to fight, food and water at least arrived later that day, and after I'd scoffed down the food, I finally got some sleep.

At least they didn't lie. They wanted me to fight, and the next day, I was hauled out of my cage, escorted to a waiting area outside what I thought was the ring, where I was given a weapon, a machete. Asking about armour, the legionnaire told me to fuck off and be happy enough I'd been given a weapon.

Three legionaries armed with weapons escorted me to the entrance of the ring. The gate was opened by what I assumed was a pully and I was pushed inside, turning back to see the gate close immediately. Looking around, there was a small crowd of people watching, while I noticed a tent on a hill above the ring. In the ring sat a few people, and I guessed one of them may have been Caesar.

Applause gained my attention as I glanced to see someone else enter the ring. I was expecting a legion soldier. Instead, they sent me… I'm not sure. A slave? A civilian? Whoever it was, they were armed with slightly better weapons and had some armour, but I could see the machete shake in their hand, their eyes meeting mine filled with nothing but fear.

If they wanted entertainment, they were not going to get it. Striding forward with purpose, my opponent barely managed to block my swing, the clang of our machetes ringing out in the silence. I wasn't trying to kill my opponent, merely disarm and put him on the ground. It took all of ten to fifteen seconds, if I counted correctly.

Eyes met mine again, pleading with me not to take the killing stroke. Looking up at the tent, I now figured out who Caesar was, a bald headed but broad man, who barely looked in my direction before he held out his right hand and put his thumb down.

I just dropped my machete to the ground.

Gates opened immediately, and I soon found myself surrounded by at least two dozen legion soldiers. The man who had spoken to me on arrival stepped forward. "Pick up your weapon and kill your opponent."

"No."

He stepped forward, and even quicker than I could believe, had a knife at my throat. "Pick up your weapon and kill your opponent, courier. You have three seconds, otherwise your blood will spill in addition to your opponent. Do you really want to die for that thing on the ground?"

A flick of the knife and I could feel the blade ready to strike. I knew they were not bluffing. I didn't even count to one before I nodded. Reaching down to grab the machete, I stood over the clearly frightened slave, noticing the wet patch that had formed in their groin.

"I'm sorry," I said before I finished the job. I made sure it was quick, not looking in their eyes as they died.

Surrounded by two dozen legion soldiers, when they told me to drop the weapon, I did it immediately. Feeling something sharp poke my back, knowing it was at least a couple of spears, I was escorted out of the ring towards my cage.

"A warning, courier. When Caesar gives an order, you will follow it. Refusal to meet an order of Caesar required the harshest of punishments. Remember, your life is nothing to us."

Put back in my cage, I was fed and watered again, and went to sleep.

* * *

I fought, I killed, I ate, I drank, I slept. I wasn't allowed to train. I didn't really need it. Caesar said I was kept around and fought for entertainment. I failed to see the entertainment factor in slaughtering innocents. With every life I took, a little part of me died along with them. After the first ten, they finally put people in the ring who could at least fight. I took one or two wounds, started to bleed, started to sweat, started to actually fight. But they would still die in the end.

I was never given armour. Was never given any form of real protection. I only ever fought with a machete. After the first fifteen, I started to toy with my opponent, put on a show. I knew I would have to kill them eventually. I made a game of it, letting them believe I didn't have the upper hand. But I would always make sure their end was quick in return.

I didn't speak to anyone. I barely uttered a word. Whoever was in charge of me barely spoke to me in return. Only orders such as 'Up', 'Fight', 'Eat and drink'. At least they gave me plenty of food and water. I felt my strength return over a number of days. It probably helped that I sometimes fought more than once a day.

As for Boone, I still saw no sign of him. I tried not to worry about him, but I knew the Legion would not be kind to him. The one thing I kept in the back of my mind is if he were dead, they would probably take delight in telling me. But telling me would no doubt anger me. I was already furious about the predicament I found myself in, feeling rather helpless that I was being used as little more than a toy. But informing me that Boon was dead would probably tip me over the edge. If he were dead, they were better off not telling me.

I'd lost track of days after a while. There was little point in counting. I would fight, eat, drink, sleep, repeat. Slaves would gawk at me as I passed by them towards the ring. Legion soldiers would stop and stare, some would make comments, trying to get me to react. I would just stare at them in return, hoping me dead eyes would worry them. I liked to see their reaction when I did. Their smiles faded, replaced by concern, even fear. Then I would smile, and I would notice steps back, or hands moved to weapons. I heard them mutter names for me. I did wonder what I looked like. I wasn't allowed to wash, so knew I was still covered in the blood of my victims.

Into the ring once again, just me and my machete. It was the same one. Covered in the blood of all those who had fallen. Caesar still watched each of my fights from his vantage point high above in his tent. The crowds had grown over time as I fought better opponents. I simply strode into the ring as always, stood still and watched the other gate, wondering who the Legion wanted me to fight today.

The gate opened and through the opening appeared a Legion soldier. I'll admit to feeling a little excitement. Finally, no more innocent victims. Even those people who had proven able to fight had been forced into the ring against me. Now I would have… I wouldn't call it revenge. Revenge would be against Caesar or the man who had spoken to me. But I would now take joy in spilling the blood of the enemy in front of me.

He did something strange first, turning to face Caesar, lifting his weapon and crying, "Ave! True to Caesar!"

I simply twirled my machete and waited for the soldier to approach. I wasn't going to take me time with this time. I wasn't going to make it pretty. I was going to make it quick and watch him bleed. Yet, despite the confidence in his stride, and the firmness of his voice, I met his eyes. And I could see it. See the fear. The shake of his hand holding his weapon. The concern in each footstep, whether to the side or forward. I knew this soldier did not want to be in the ring with me. I knew he was afraid.

Letting him come forward, I disarmed him in one sweep on my machete, then cut across his throat. I felt the blood spray as he immediately collapsed to his knees. Another swing of the machete and I took his head.

"Is that the best you have, Caesar!" I roared. I hadn't spoken in days. My voice sounded… different.

Taking the head from the ground, holding it by the hair, I then flung it towards Caesar in his tent. I didn't hear the yells as I noticed it land just in from of their leader. I then stood and waited in the middle of the ring, waiting for their reply.

They arrived a couple of minutes later, forming a square around me. I didn't bother counting their number. All I knew is that I was outnumbered. "Weapon down!"

"Fuck off."

"Weapon down or you will be beaten."

I twirled the machete. "Come and take it."

I killed four of them before they beat me unconscious.

* * *

I found myself woken by water being splashed over me. I was tied to the post again, hands and ankles bound, forced to kneel. I hurt from the beating I took, looking down over my body to see a few bruises already forming. But nothing felt broken, so although I'd been beaten, I knew they hadn't been trying to actually properly hurt me. I looked up and heard a growl, knowing it was from me.

"You will learn respect, courier." I spat at his feet, earning a smack on the back of the head. "You will learn respect, courier. Caesar has allowed you to live, allowed you to fight. Do not make him change his mind. You have fought well. You have not died. Do you really want to die now?"

I pulled at the restraints, wanting them to break. I wanted to get my hands around his neck and squeeze, watch his eyes as life was extinguished. I watched that same smirk form at my reaction. "Good thing we have you tied up, courier. You are a dangerous man. You will remain where you are for now. You need to learn a lesson. Be glad you are simply tied to a post. There are worse punishments in life."

I was kept there until my next fight. I think it was the next day. I couldn't really be sure, every day now passing into the next. It may have only been a week. It may have been a month by now. I noticed the same stares from the slaves, but now the Legion soldiers looked angry. I met their eyes again and would occasionally step toward them, smiling at their reaction, stepping back involuntarily, reaching for a weapon, anger turning to fear.

Even the soldier in charge of handing me a weapon now look at me with a mixture of anger and fear. Taking hold of my machete, I looked at the blade. It had once been clean. Now it was covered in blood. At least none of it was mine.

Entering the ring through the same gate, I simply waited for whoever would be sent to face me. I knew it wouldn't be a civilian. Caesar was testing me. He wanted me to see how good I really was. So I knew it would be another Legion soldier.

I smiled as the figure stepped into the ring. Finally, it would be a worthy opponent.

I had had it too easy since that first fight. Sure, I'd fought as well as I could, but I was never going to improve by fighting untrained, unworthy opponents. The warrior in front of me was trained, tough, and would not die easily. For the first time, I truly bled. But although I felt the pain, I ignored it. If I died, I died. It didn't really matter anymore.

The crowd roared on their soldier. I could feel the power in each swing. I could sense his training in how he moved his weapon, how he moved his feet, the concentration and focus on his face, in his eyes. I had no training, or at least no training I could remember. Everything I did was simply on instinct, what I believed was the right thing to do. It had worked so far.

My opponent said nothing, barely made a sound. Certainly didn't try talking or taunting. There was only the clang of our weapons, the sweeping of sand as our feet found purchase as we moved to strike. I could hear myself breathing deeply through the exertion, could feel sweat drip down my arms, my chest and my back, blinking to keep it out of my eyes. The soldier was dressed in uniform, wondering how hot he was now feeling. The heat was unbearable in the ring. I wondered if he would tire first.

Finally, tired of toying with him, or him toying with me, I simply went on all-out attack. It caught him by complete surprise, and after backing him up against the wall, using fists and knees to finally disarm him, I put him on the ground with a knee to the groin and using the handle of my weapon against the side of his head. Dragging him into the middle of the ring, I pulled him by the hair forcing him onto his knees.

I could hear consternation outside the ring, knowing they were coming to stop me, but I ignored it, simply glaring up at Caesar. I knew his eyes met mine, as I turned my attention back to the figure on his knees, raising the machete and striking down. It wasn't a clean swing, and I had to strike again before taking his head. Dropping the machete, I picked up the head and lifted it high as I turned towards Caesar.

"You'll need to send in better than that!" I roared before I flung it towards them again.

I was beaten again, though this time I was kept awake before being dragged out of the ring and re-tied to the post.


	12. Chapter 12 - Salvation

I fought again the next day. The Legion learned their lesson. I was given my machete and escorted into the ring. Circling the ring were a number of legionnaires, weapons sheathed for now, though I knew they would be ready to move once I had defeated whoever was sent in to face me.

I had no idea who was being sent in to fight me. They were clearly trained, but some were enthusiastic in fighting me, others were scared shitless. I didn't quite understand, but I didn't really care either. I was doing what I had to do to stay alive.

The gate opposite opened and in strode another warrior. Dressed as a legionnaire. Had the appearance of confidence, and as I'd noticed, he stopped, turned to the hill, and after raising a hand, called "Ave! True to Caesar!"

Despite his training. Despite his confidence. Despite the legionnaires ringing us, I still put the machete through his throat, watching his eyes as life diminished, using my foot to dislodge his body, I kicked him to the ground and watched as the legionnaires started to circle me. "I thought you wanted death," I growled.

Then I went on the attack. But they had learned their lessons, keeping distance between my blade and their bodies, and it didn't take long for me to be subdued. But even when disarmed, I tried getting to my feet, earning another crack on the back, warned to stay down. I looked up and met the eyes of the legionnaire who had spoken to me at length. I simply grinned and told him to fuck off.

I felt the crack across the head and nothing else afterwards.

* * *

"Why don't you just kill me?" I asked, once again tied to the pole.

"Because that is not what Caesar wants," the legionnaire replied.

"Well then he's going to keep watching his soldiers die. What the hell does he want?"

"That is for Caesar to know. He has a plan. For you. For the Mojave. For the NCR. For all of us."

"I don't understand. He puts me in the ring to fight, to kill. I kill whoever is put in, then you come in and beat me."

"Throwing the head of the fallen toward Caesar is dishonourable."

"Forcing me to fight isn't much better."

"You will learn in time, courier."

It was the longest conversation I'd had since… I couldn't remember. My hands and ankles untied, I was led back towards my cage, and soon had food and water provided. Having taken a number of beatings lately, I felt bruised all over, though I couldn't see too many. I could only be thankful that nothing had broken. Any scratches had been healed, so I guess the legionnaires, while not exactly caring, were under orders to make sure I didn't die from blood loss or disease.

I slept like a log that night, woken by a kick to the feet the next morning. "Up, courier."

"Another fight?"

"No. You will dress, then you will be presented."

"To who?"

"Caesar."

I would have asked what did he want, but I figured that would be a stupid question. I was escorted to a nearby tent, where a bowl of water rested on a table. Next to that was what looked like soap, a washcloth and a razor. Next to that, piled on a chair, were all my clothes. I would have asked about my weapons, but I figured that would be too sarcastic, and I'll be honest, I didn't really want to be hit again.

Not remembering the last time I had washed, I savoured every moment as I cleaned off the blood and the dirt. My hair had grown longer than I liked, so shaving that off was a real pain. Once I had a bald head and felt clean, I dressed myself in the clothes I had taken off me when Boone and I had been captured. I'd still seen no sign of him, and although I dreaded thinking it, I wondered if he wasn't already dead.

Walking out of the tent, the so-far unnamed legionnaire looked me up and down, nodded, and with an escort of him and six others, I was led through the camp. I had no idea how large it was, but Caesar's tent was obvious, mostly due to the size, and the fact there was some sort of carpet leading to the opening, and the four guards, two to either side of the entrance.

The unnamed legionnaire led the way inside, and it was there that I truly saw Caesar for the first time. I wasn't sure what to expect. I had heard whispers of the man, and part of me wondered if most of what I had heard was mere myth and legend. The unnamed legionnaire introduced me, using my name and not just 'courier', then stood to the side as I met the eyes of Caesar for the first time.

He leaned back in his high chair, looking me up and down in silence, before he got to his feet and actually approached me. If I wanted to, I could have easily grabbed him around the throat and squeezed, but I knew I'd be dead before I could kill him. And, I'll admit, I was intrigued as to what he wanted. I had fought for his entertainment apparently. I wondered what he wanted from me now.

Circling around me once or twice, I remained at semi-attention, glancing to see what he was trying to assess, before he finally stopped in front of me. He was rather tall himself, certainly broad, and there was a strength I could see in him. His eyes spoke volumes. Wisdom in one instant. Fury in the next.

"You are impressive, Uhtred." His voice surprised me. It wasn't exactly soft. But there was certainly education. I expected a gravelly growl. Instead, it was… It was unexpected. The sort of voice men would follow. I understood why immediately. "There is a strength I have rarely seen. I have seen it in very few men." I blinked, unsure what to say, if I should say anything. "I have been assessing you, Uhtred. That is why I've had you fight. Consider it a series of tests."

"Tests?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied, sitting back down on his chair. "The first was if you would actually kill what I knew you would consider 'innocents'. You did, and you did it without hesitation after the first time."

"Only after you threatened to kill me in turn."

"But you chose yourself, Uhtred. Do you not see?" I couldn't argue that point. I wasn't going to die for a stranger. "Next was killing opponents with at least some talent. They didn't know who they were fighting. They were told you were a legionnaire. Would you like to know who they were?"

"I'm assuming NCR soldiers or some other people you captured, but at least soldiers or warriors?"

"You assume correctly."

"And the others, those dressed in your armour?"

"They were those who had dishonoured the Legion, were punished, and were then given a choice. Fighting you in the ring, to fight for their lives, or crucifixion. No-one chooses crucifixion."

"Why am I here?"

"I understand you have been to Nipton, what my legionaries brought to that hive of scum and villainy. Purity. Order. Justice. That is what the Legion has brought to the savage lands it has conquered so far. It is what the Legion will bring to the Mojave."

"And what has this to do with me?"

"As I said, Uhtred, I see a strength in you. You have more than proven it by what you have done in the ring. But you have proven it before. Risen from the dead, some would say. And you have seen what the Legion has done. You can see our power. You can see what we want to bring to the Mojave. And with someone like you in our ranks, maybe even leading, we cannot fail."

I'll admit, I know I shouldn't have. But I couldn't help it. I started to laugh.

"Something amusing, courier?" asked the unnamed legionnaire.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Caesar is offering me a place in the Legion. I'm wondering what on earth would make him think I would consider that option?"

"Consider the alternatives," Caesar retorted, "You know of Nipton. Now consider New Vegas. A city of whores, criminals and profligates. It needs to be cleansed, like the rest of the Mojave. You have been a victim of the disorder, the rampant crime that runs the length and breadth of this land."

"If you seriously think I'd ever consider joining the Legion, with your slaves, crucifixions and god only knows what else, then you're seriously fucking delusional."

I watched the eyes narrow as he got to his feet, striding forward until his eyes glared into mine. "I would think very carefully in the next few seconds, Uhtred. Your words will define your future. Take my offer, and you will rise to become a hero of the Legion. I know my men will eventually follow you. Don't take my offer, and I will ensure you nothing but pain until you die, broken, lonely and forgotten."

I did the only thing I could think of to do.

I spat in his face.

* * *

The box I was kept in was dark and unbearably hot. The beating was probably the worst I'd received out of all of them. It was to be expected. I probably shouldn't have spat in his face. It had been a very stupid thing to do. But his offer was insulting. He seriously thought I'd fight for the Legion after everything? Maybe he thought I would forget who I was. I might have no memory, but I knew who I was since waking in Goodsprings.

I had been thrown into the box after the beating. I lay in the darkness, sweating away, not moving as I tried to will away the pain. They hadn't broken anything, at least I think they hadn't, but they had beaten me enough, ensuring I was kept conscious the entire time.

Eventually I slept, I'm not sure how long for, but was only woken when I heard the chains holding me in the box were removed and I was grabbed and dragged out. Hauled to my feet, I noticed the crowd form, feeling a hand under each armpit as I was dragged forward. Ahead stood a wooden pole, and it was here that I was pushed into it, my arms roped together, as were my ankles. I knew something different was going to happen this time.

Glancing around, the crowd of Legion soldiers was thick, and it was then that I heard a voice.

"See before you an ally of the profligates. Many of you have seen him fight in the ring. He had fought with courage, strength and no end of skill. I saw in him a ferocity in spirit I have witnessed in few men. I saw in him potential to become one of us. Risen from the dead, he had been a victim of the injustice that pervades the Mojave. I offered him an opportunity to join our ranks and, in reply, he spat in my face." I heard the murmurs of discontent around me. "I cannot forgive that sort of dishonour, not without taking retribution. You are gathered here to witness his punishment. First, he will receive the lash. Ten of the best. Then he will carry a cross towards the shore, and it will be on that cross he will be placed. It will be a warning to the NCR and their allies that the Legion are here and will be victorious."

I sensed a presence approach, glancing to see Caesar circle until he stood in front of me. "It is unfortunate, Uhtred. I had high hopes you would see reason. See sense. See what the Legion would bring to the Mojave. I am not often wrong. But, regarding you, I underestimated your… I will say your spirit. Believe me that watching this will bring no pleasure. You dishonoured me through your actions, and your punishment is just."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

He leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "I will not think less of you if you cry out in pain. If you pass out. Or if you start to weep."

He stepped away out of view and I simply waited for the first crack. Whoever was doing it made me wait. I could feel the sweat trailing down my back, but surprisingly, I felt no fear. A little apprehension for the first whip, but other than that, I figured I was going to die so a little pain didn't really matter.

The first whip hurt. I will admit it now. Whether I'd seen anyone take such punishment before, I don't remember. But the pain raced from my back to my brain, and it took gritted teeth not to cry out. The second one came quickly, not allowing me to get used to the pain. The third was quicker still. Whoever was carrying out the punishment knew what they were doing. My back was on fire, and I could feel the sweat drip into the cuts, making the pain even worse. A fourth and fifth followed in quick succession, and I wondered if I would see out all ten while still lucid.

"Is that all you got, pussy?!" I called out. It got the desired reaction, hearing murmurs and shouts from the crowd.

The sixth one was probably the worst. Calling out had been a stupid idea, but it actually made me smile, pleased I'd got such a reaction. After that, I simply gritted my teeth and waited for the next one. Whoever was cracking the whip was now putting everything into it, or that's what it felt like. I dreaded to think what my back looked like, but I could feel the blood dripping all the way down my legs. I guess it didn't matter as I was going to be crucified soon enough.

At the end of ten whips, I relaxed as best I could, but the agony was unlike any I had felt before. When my binds were released, the two legionaries were surprisingly gentle, grabbing my armpits and escorting me across the grounds towards a cross. It was here that I saw Boone for the first time since we'd been captured. To say he looked a mess would be an understatement. Whether he had fought or not, I don't know, but his entire body was covered in bruises.

He glanced my way, and upon seeing me, he smiled.

Two crosses were waiting for us, ordered to pick one up each. They were heavy things, and after the whipping I'd just taken, and the pain I was still in, bending over to pick it up nearly caused me to collapse to the ground.

"You look like shit," he muttered once we started to drag the crosses towards the river bank.

"You don't look much better. What happened to you?"

"Interrogations. Beatings. Torture. You name it, they've done it. They didn't believe my story. They think I was a scout for some sort of attack. They kept asking me about information I have no way of knowing. Didn't believe for a second I'd retired."

"How long have we been here?"

"I'm not sure. Days and nights don't really mean a lot when you're being beaten nearly every day. Long enough though."

There was no point talking about anything else, and we fell into silence as we were escorted ahead. We didn't walk too long, but carrying the cross, and with what I'd just suffered, we were both exhausted by the time we were told to stop. Laying them down on the ground, we were given perhaps thirty seconds to rest before told to get into position.

Did I feel any fear? Not really. Since waking up, I hadn't feared death. I didn't want to die, but I didn't fear it. I considered myself lucky to still be breathing after taking a bullet in the head. I was a little pissed off that my life was going to end in such a manner, but I felt I'd made my point, standing up to what I now considered little more than a tyrant.

It took them time to bind our arms and then our legs to the cross, but once they were happy, the crosses were lifted into position. Yet, despite our predicament, I couldn't help but appreciate the view. The legionnaires didn't hang around once we were up, leaving us to die. I glanced over at Boone, noticing he was simply taking in the view as well.

"How long do you give us?"

"If we were both fit and healthy, I'd say we'd easily survive at least three days. But as we're both injured, I don't think we'll survive that long. Still, we get quite the view."

We both survived to see the sunset. It was probably the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, though it saddened me at the same time, wondering if I would ever see it rise again.

* * *

Without anything to eat or drink, attached to a cross under the cloudless skies, the sun beating down on us, I was soon delirious. Or at least that's what I felt like. I'm not sure how long Boone or I were up on the cross before we found salvation. That's what I thought happened anyway. After at least three days on the cross, as I think that's how many sunsets Boone and I saw, I couldn't really remember. By the third day, I could barely hold my head up and was simply waiting, almost praying for death.

But I know I dreamed. I dreamed of being rescued. I'm not sure by who or what. I never saw who did it. But I heard voices, and felt my arms released and my body caught, before the binds around my ankles were loosened and I felt myself lowered to the ground. I dreamed of a cloudless night sky, a million bright stars in the sky, and I wondered if I was now dead, and I was now simply waiting for the next step of my journey.

I dreamed of the people that I fought. I dreamed of a series of faces and eyes. Some were accusing, some full of sorrow. Some full of hate, others of nothing but pain. I dreamed of blood. Great flowing rivers that engulfed me, the Legion, the NCR, the entire Mojave. I dreamed of a ring, of fighting one person, followed by another, more and more people entering until my machete was a blur, cutting down anyone who got in my way. I dreamed of war, of battle, of death and destruction. I dreamed of bombs landing, the cleansing of the land once again, the utter destruction of everyone around me. It was probably what we all deserved in the end.

I dreamed of the friends I had made since waking up in Goodsprings. I saw Cass with a bottle of whiskey in hand, muttering and swearing to herself. I dreamed of Boone, beret on his head, sniper rifle in his hands, a face of stone. But I saw beside him his wife and young child, and it was only when he turned to look at them that he smiled. I dreamed of Chris, working at the power plant, his magnificent mind solving all the problems within, eventually providing power to the entire Mojave. I even dreamed of the eyebot, and in those dreams I could understand the beeps. It considered me a friend, its saviour, and it would remain by my side until the end.

I dreamed of Sunny in Goodsprings, and my last good thought was of her smile. That was the last thing I remember before my dreams turned dark. And I knew I was probably dead.

* * *

I heard whispers. I couldn't exactly understand what they were saying, but I heard whispers. My senses slowly returning, I knew I was no longer on the cross. I hurt all over. My back was still on fire, but it felt like I was lying down on something soft. Probably a bed. Hopefully a bed. A bed meant I wasn't dead. Meant I had been… rescued?

I made a sound and heard the whispers stop. I then felt a presence sit down on the bed and a warm, soft hand on the back of my neck. Whoever it was simply shushed me first. I could barely get out a word, so simply accepted the gesture. "You're alright, Uhtred. You're alive," the voice said softly. It was incredibly familiar. I would have opened my eyes, but even moving my eyelids would have taken too much effort. "Doc, give him a little something to help him sleep. He shouldn't be awake yet."

I barely felt the needle in the arm, but the whispers faded rather quickly.

I'm not sure for how much longer I slept. It could have been a few hours or a few days. But the next time I awoke, the pain had diminished significantly. Opening my eyes, I noticed I was in a house. Again, that sense of familiarity. Moving my head, sunlight shone through the window, so I knew it was daytime.

I couldn't help the groan as I slowly managed to swing my legs around, placing my feet on the floor. Pain shot up through my legs, figuring I hadn't used them in however many days I'd been out. Resting my head in a hand, I heard the sounds of footsteps approaching. The figure who appeared in the doorway made me smile.

"You're awake." I opened my mouth to reply, but I couldn't find my voice. I hadn't spoken in however many days. The last time I could remember speaking was to Boone while up on the cross. "I'm sure you have a million questions." I nodded. "You're back in Goodsprings, Uhtred." She stepped forward until she was in front of me, dropping to her knees. The smile on her face broadened as she took both my hands. "When they rescued you, they said you said only one word." I smiled, as I knew what she was going to say. "Sunny, Uhtred. Was I your last thought?"

I could only nod to that question too. I wanted to smile, but I'm not sure I could. Not yet. Not after everything. But maybe my eyes said something, because she smiled at my nod.

"Do you think you can try and stand up?"

Offering her hand, I grabbed it and it was rather easy to help me up. I felt very unsteady, and she wrapped an arm around me. The pain was immediate and it caused me to hiss. She immediately removed her arm and apologised. I opened my mouth to say something, but my throat felt so dry… I made a drinking motion with my hand, so with both her hands on my right arm, she helped me shuffle out of the bedroom.

Waiting for us were Cass and Veronica, their smiles nearly as large as Sunny's at my appearance. They gestured for me to sit down, but I shook my head, Sunny letting go of my arm, quickly returning with a bottle of water. Cracking the top, I polished the bottle off in about five seconds.

"Someone's thirsty. Want a whiskey chaser?" Cass offered.

I think I nearly cracked a smile but shook my head. "How…" I tried to ask a simply question, but my throat was still parched. Swallowing a couple of times, I took a deep breath and tried again. "How am I here?" I finally croaked out.

"You don't remember?" Veronica asked.

"He was pretty much out of it," Cass added.

"What do you remember last?" Sunny wondered.

"The cross."

"You don't remember anything after?"

"Dreams. Not sure if real."

Sunny grabbed my arm again and led me to one of the chairs around a table. After they took a seat too, they started to explain. "Veronica and I were expecting you back after a couple of days," Cass stated, "So when you didn't return after five days, we figured we should head south. I remembered Manny from Novac, and he told us he'd seen you and Boone heading south, and he had a fairly good idea where you were headed, so he pointed us in the right direction."

"Where is he?"

"He's at Mitchell's house," Sunny replied, "But I wanted you here with me, if you're wondering. He comes around to make sure you're okay otherwise."

"Is he okay?"

"He's fine now. Probably in better condition than you…" Sunny trailed off, grabbed my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. The smile disappeared and I thought she was about to shed a tear. I just squeezed her hand back.

"We saw no sign of either of you for days," Veronica stated, "Not until the day you were… Well, what they did to your back to begin with. Once we saw that, and we saw what they were doing to you with the cross, we knew we had to help. Thankfully, at the same time, someone at the Ranger station not far from where we were recognised Boone, so we contacted the NCR. Ghost arrived within the day. She wanted to repay you for the help."

"If you're wondering how we got you down, and also got most of your stuff, well, let's just say the NCR has ways of organising certain things we could use," Cass continued. I raised an eyebrow as she smirked. "They would never have seen us come or go."

"How did…" I trailed off. It didn't matter.

"It took a couple of days to get you both back here. You were both up there for four days." I remembered only three, but considering my state of mind, I could have been up there a week and never known. "You didn't say much once we got you down. Getting you across the river wasn't particularly easy, but you grabbed Ghost by the arm and simply said 'Sunny'. Cass knew who you meant, and knew where she was," Veronica finished.

"Thank you," I said softly.

"No-one deserved whatever was done to you, Uhtred," Cass stated.

"Can you, or do you want to talk about it?" Sunny asked.

"Not yet. Later." I squeezed her hand again. "Angry. So very angry. How long?"

"Were you gone?" Cass asked. I nodded. "I think, all up, it would be between three to four weeks."

"Fuck. Benny?"

Shrugs all round. "There's been no news of anything happening in New Vegas. But you're in no condition to go chasing after him," Sunny stated.

"Now a list. Benny. Then Caesar." I noticed the shared glances. Sunny squeezed my hand again. But I was adamant. "You will understand."

There wasn't a lot else to talk about, and I was still tired. But I wanted to go out and see the sun. Escorted back to the bedroom, Sunny helped me dress. Just moving certain limbs caused shots of pain throughout more body, doing my best not to cry out, but I managed to dress myself. Once I was dressed, Sunny helped put on my boots, as I simply couldn't bend that way, I stood up and felt… well, certainly not normal, but I liked having my coat on. Sunny simply stroked my cheek and I kissed her.

"Good memory," I said.

"I had no idea. I just thought... I thought of you often too. The stranger who appeared one day, saved the town and… well, I think of that night rather fondly."

"Come with me."

She thought for all of two seconds. "Absolutely."

I hobbled outside, not letting go of her hand, appreciating the breeze, no matter how hot it was. The pain has lessened though not disappeared, and my muscles were screaming within five minutes. But I used the pain to force me on. Sunny pointed towards the saloon, but I shook my head. "Boone first."

Opening the door to Mitchell's house, we wandered in towards the main room to find Boone on the couch. Turning in our direction, there was no smile but the eyes said much more. He was pleased to see me alive, getting to his feet and striding forward with hand outstretched. "Good to see you."

I clasped the hand with both of my own. "And you, Boone." He was on the verge of tears seeing me. I had to blink back my own. We'd have hugged each other, but we were both still in pain. We sat down and didn't talk about much. Mitchell asked how I was feeling, and I explained in minute detail. We didn't discuss what had happened to us. Now wasn't the time. I just said I was okay. Boone said he was too. I could still see the bruises on his face, and dreaded to think of what his body looked like. He probably wondered what my back looked like, while I had more scars everywhere else than before too. So we talked about nothing important, before Sunny suggested a drink at the saloon might help.

It did, the whiskey taking the edge off. As I sat next to Sunny in the booth, glancing her way every so often, always a smile returned, I couldn't help but wonder about myself. A large part of myself had been lost during those weeks, when I had been forced to kill, then punished, then crucified. That part of me was now nothing but a vessel of hate, anger and rage. I knew it was going to be difficult to control. I knew it might be Sunny that would provide equilibrium.

I knew I cared for her deeply already.

After a couple of drinks, Sunny announced that we would be leaving. Cass and Veronica both made a couple of comments, which both of us ignored. It didn't take long to return to her house, and her bedroom. She looked unsure though still hooked her arms around my neck, searching my eyes.

"This is going to sound corny but… Do you want to?"

"I just want your company. I don't have the energy. Or the strength." I paused a moment. "I won't say no to disrobing though."

In the faint moonlight, her body appeared as each article of clothing was removed. She was a goddess, and I could see the blush form as I devoured her with my eyes. After helping me undress, we lay down. I couldn't sleep on my back, still far too painful. So we lay on our sides, looking at each other in the faint moonlight.

I enjoyed sweet dreams that night as I held her close. She would be my salvation in the end.


	13. Chapter 13 - Wreckage

It took time for Boone and I to recover. Whether either of us would ever completely recover, either physically or psychologically, only time would tell. But after a few days, I still hurt but I was recovering, physically at least, though scars on body and mind still remained. My companions were not lying when they said they got nearly all my things when rescued. I had all my clothes, most of my weapons, even my holster. The only important thing missing was the rifle, which to be honest, I wasn't really going to miss.

No-one asked what Boone and I had suffered at the hands of the Legion, knowing we would eventually broach the subject. I spent time with Boone, and I think both of us wanted to talk about it, but neither of us could start that conversation. So we talked about nothing in particular. Though I did ask if he dreamed while on the cross. He had the same visions, though he dreamed of his wife and unborn child, of his friends and colleagues in the NCR, and of final retribution against the Legion. His thirst for revenge perhaps exceeded my own.

We gathered one night out under the stars. Boone and I built a fire and we gathered around it, having dragged some logs to sit on. Sunny had been by my side nearly the entire time, always making sure I was fine, while she also tended to my wounds. I asked what she was using, simply replying with 'Healing powder'. Whatever the powder was, it definitely worked. It stung like hell when first applied, but after only a few days, Sunny proclaimed that they were healing nicely.

It was around the fire that Boone and I finally shared what we had been through. Boone went first, and described the torture, the beatings, the interrogation, the fear he felt, not knowing if or when it would happen again. He admitted to having never felt as hopeless. Completely at the mercy of the Legion, he never knew if death was around the corner. He admitted to having wanted death, but not like how it appeared it was going to happen, bound to a cross, effectively starving to death.

Then it was my turn. My voice had returned in the intervening days, though Sunny mentioned that, while I hadn't always been chatty before, I was positively silent now. She didn't mind, chatting away to make up for my silence. But she understood why.

"They made me fight," I said simply, "Apparently my survival, and then my journey across the Mojave, had even reached the ears of Caesar. So when Boone and I were captured, they split us up and the first thing they did, after binding me to a log for a couple of days or so, was strip me down, give me a weapon, then throw me inside a ring to fight."

"Who did you fight?" Cass wondered.

"My first opponents were…" I shook my head. "He threw civilians in. They were not trained and deathly afraid. The first time I simply disarmed whoever my opponent was. I was told that if I didn't kill, I would be killed in return. And the Legion don't make idle threats. So I did it." I looked up and met their eyes. "Don't ask how many. I know the number. I live with that number."

Holding out a hand, Cass passed me the bottle of whiskey. I took a sip before continuing. "Next were the trained warriors. I didn't know who or where they were from, but they'd clearly fought before." I glanced towards Boone when adding, "Caesar admitted some were NCR."

"You didn't know. It certainly isn't your fault," Boone stated.

"You'll be surprised that my last few opponents were Legion soldiers themselves. Caesar admitted they were not thrown into the ring just to fight me. Apparently fighting me was their punishment. They had to defeat me to live. Obviously, they did not."

I took another sip of whiskey, gathering my thoughts. "I believe that Caesar was trying to break me, mould me into a mindless warrior, someone he could then offer a position too. Because that's what he did. After however many fights, I was escorted to meet the man himself. I'll admit something, the man has presence, an aura about him. Anyone who underestimates the man is a fool. He's smart, I'll give him that. I didn't speak with him that long, but there is an obvious intelligence, and a burning desire to succeed."

"So… what happened?" Sunny asked quietly.

"He offered me a role within his Legion, perhaps thinking I would see it as salvation. That the fights, the beatings, the lack of real food, all would help sway my mind. I called him delusional and spat in his face." Taking another sip, I continued. "Let's just say he wasn't impressed. After the beating, probably the worst I received my entire time there, I was thrown in a metal box for… who knows how long. It could have been hours. It could have been days. They made me sweat for a while before hauling me out. And that's when they whipped me. That was the first part of my punishment. I was to be made an example of. Once I'd taken ten of those, Boone and I were forced to carry a cross each to the riverside. That is where we still were when you came for us."

Taking a last sip, I handed the bottle back to Cass. "I know a part of me died on that hill. No-one can go through what I did, nor what Boone did, without changing. A little part died with each innocent life I took. With each beating. With each crack of the whip. With each day on the cross. I can now only hold onto the part that remains. And ensure I nor anyone I know has to ever go through the same thing."

"So what do you do now?" Sunny asked. She was coming with me, no matter what, but I guess she just wanted to know.

"I can't take on the Legion alone. And our small group isn't enough either. So I focus on what I wanted before. I find Benny. I remember where he is. I deal with him. After that, I'll have to sit down and decide what I want to do."

Silence descended after Boone and I had shared our experiences. I guess there was nothing else to say. I felt a little relieved that those I now considered friends knew what I had been through. It wasn't a competition, but I did wonder who had suffered more between Boone and I, though I think we suffered differently. But there was little doubt that we were both happy to still be alive.

Cass, Veronica and Boone eventually said goodnight and disappeared for the evening, leaving Sunny and I alone. "I think your friends might be suggesting something," she said. I simply smiled at her before wrapping an arm around her, pulling her in close, feeling her rest her head on my shoulder.

"Are you sure you want to join me?"

"This is my home, Uhtred. But a girl can't say to a little adventure."

"I was being serious. I'm not the man you remember. I can't be, not after what happened."

"And that's fine. At heart, I know you'll still be a good man."

"I hope so."

We sat in silence for I don't know how much longer, my arm around her waist as she wrapped one around mine. Eventually she started to drift off and suggested we should head back to her house. Extinguishing the fire, Goodsprings was silent as we walked back to her house. Undressing before we got into bed, she asked, "Do they still hurt?"

I hadn't even realised I had turned my back to her. I shrugged before replying. "Not too much. Still get the occasional shooting pain, but it gets better with every day."

"Well, they've healed quite nicely. The powder worked well."

"How bad are the scars?" I asked, turning to look at her.

She returned a half smile. "It could be worse. They might not have rescued you off the cross."

Walking forward, I took her in my arms. "And, for that, I will be forever thankful to them."

The smile broadened. "And I was really your last thought?"

"Absolutely."

* * *

Our group left Goodsprings two days later. Boone and I were still healing, but sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves wasn't how either of us operated. Cass and Veronica were glad to hit the open road once again. The eyebot had followed Cass and Veronica, and floating closely above my head. Lastly, Sunny made sure we had enough supplies for our journey, including camping equipment, having ransacked the local but abandoned school, find some old tents and sleeping bags that others helped mend.

I asked Sunny one final time that she was sure that she wanted to leave with me. I wanted her to join me, not wanting to leave without her a second time. But it was an important decision, not one I felt should be taken lightly, as I knew she cared about the town and its people. My worries were answered when a trio of NCR troops appeared on the horizon after leaving town. Apparently because of my good deeds, Ranger Jackson had instructed a small team of NCR soldiers be sent north past Primm, and Goodsprings was a good place to camp.

My companions talked me out of heading north straight to New Vegas. They understood why I was eager to get to New Vegas as quickly as possible, but the road just wasn't safe enough, even if there were five people and an eyebot. Considering Boone and I were not at full health, it was probably the best decision overall. Knowing we would be retracing roads already covered was annoying, though.

We made it to Nipton just after sunset. There was a small NCR presence, though there were still plenty of reminders of what the Legion had done to the town. But at least the bodies appeared to have been buried, but the few soldiers we spoke to admitted that Nipton, for all intents and purposes, would remain little more than a ghost town. Word had spread about what had happened, and it would be unlikely anyone would ever want to return.

There were a few houses we could have stayed in, but we agreed to make camp in the remains of what had once been a caravan park. After pitching tents, we built a fire and prepared dinner. Nothing fancy, but it amazed me that people managed to grow crops across the Mojave. It was so barren and devoid of life, the fact humans managed to eke out a living was amazing in itself. Cass and I did inform the other three of what we had found in Nipton during our first visit. Boone wasn't surprised, considering we'd both been on the receiving end of similar treatment.

Agreeing to stop at Novac the next day, we saw few people travelling the road, passing by one or two NCR patrols but few merchants or caravaneers. We seemed to fall into little groups as we walked along. Sunny walked alongside myself on point, Cass and Veronica had established a friendship already, Boone took the rear, constantly on the lookout for anyone ready to attack us, and the eyebot stayed a few feet above my head. We did come close to one or two Legion patrols, though they were moving in opposite directions. I won't lie and say Boone and I didn't lust for revenge, but while their numbers matched or exceeded ours by only one or two, we agreed that, for now, we would move north hopefully unnoticed.

Novac was quiet upon arriving. Cliff has taken over the running of the hotel, Boone having explained what had happened to Jeanie May prior to leaving, and he was happy enough to give Cass and I our old rooms. Sunny obviously joined me, Veronica taking her own room.

Our arrival wasn't completely unnoticed, as there was a knock at the door barely minutes after we had settled into our rooms. Of course, it was Manny, and he was full of questions about what Boone and I had done, and where we had been. I figured Boone probably didn't want to speak to him, considering how they parted last, so I invited him in for a drink and explained what we'd been through. He was very apologetic, but I waved that away. The only people to blame were Boone and myself, for being caught, and the Legion for putting us through what we suffered.

Before he could ask, I suggested he not speak to Boone. I wasn't sure if Manny knew the truth about his wife, but after what he'd been through at the hands of the Legion, I just suggested he should keep to himself and that we would be leaving early the next morning.

Later that evening, Sunny and I were in bed, ready to sleep, when she asked a question I knew had been on her mind since leaving Goodsprings. "Uhtred, when we get to New Vegas and track down Benny. What do you plan on doing?"

"I plan to return the favour."

"Are you sure?"

I glanced to see she was now on her side, looking at me rather intently. "I can't remember what happened before I was shot in the head, but I understand the world we live in. I demand retribution. Not only from Benny, but I will have it from the Legion eventually too."

"Does that make you better than them?"

"No. It will make us even. The only difference is, before I put a bullet in his head, I want to know why this Platinum Chip is so important. So I will find out why he shot me, put me in a hole in the ground and left me to die. Once I have those answers, it will end how I want."

She was silent for a few seconds, keeping my eyes on her as she was obviously thinking. She finally nodded, whether to me or to herself, I wasn't sure. A hand on my cheek and a kiss told me what I needed to know. It had been another long day of walking, and we both feel asleep rather quickly. That led to a comment from Sunny the next morning, that we would be wasting a perfect opportunity to finally be intimate again, considering we had a perfectly good bed to use.

That led to another conversation, sitting back against the headboard. I wrapped an arm around her and explained. "I wanted you with me, Sunny. And just these past two days have been great. But…"

"You want to finish it first?"

I nodded. "That's the only thing on my mind at the moment. I am totally focused on it."

"So once that situation is resolved?"

I shrugged. "I really don't know. I still don't know who I am. So I guess I have a blank slate to work with. I can be who I want to be, do what I want to do, be with who I want to be with."

"And you're sure there isn't a girl somewhere else?"

I heard the humour in the tone. "I can't answer that without becoming all maudlin… But I think if I was important to someone, or to some people, they would have tried to find me by now."

"Any idea on where you want to, I don't know, settle down?"

I couldn't help grin at that. "Oh, I think a bit more adventure is on the cards first."

After dressing and a little breakfast, we met the rest of our little group downstairs. Remembering our original journey north, we agreed that we should make the crossroads at the 188, where we had originally met Veronica. If we made good time, we would keep going and make camp somewhere along the road.

One thing I had learned since waking up in Goodsprings is that every day was the same. It was dry. It was hot. The skies would be blue and clear, barely a cloud. And we would all be sweating heavily by midday. We made the 188 Trading Post a little after lunchtime, and that wasn't even marching along. Not exactly a stroll, but we weren't bursting a lung trying to get to New Vegas either. We'd been delayed by any number of weeks now. Another day or two wasn't going to make all that much difference now.

It was leaving the 188 that Cass joined me on point of our little column. She didn't say anything to start with, or at least to me, though I noticed Sunny dropped back alongside Veronica, so wondered if Cass wanted to discuss something in privacy. Eventually I just asked, "Something on your mind, Cass?"

"We're approaching where I think my caravan was attacked. I was hoping we could at least try and find the wreckage?"

"How far off the beaten path are we talking?"

"It's on one of the major routes out of the city. Your Pip-Boy has a map, right?"

"I think." I stopped and held my left arm out. Cass didn't have one, but she seemed to know how to use one, as she soon had a map displayed. "If we take the third left, that's the road I think my caravan was on."

Looking up at the sky, the sun was still high above us, so darkness wasn't approaching. "Sure, we have time."

As New Vegas loomed ever closer, it was surprising to see the lack of destruction that I had expected to see. I knew Boulder City had been destroyed by the NCR, not by the bombs of two hundred plus years past, but I did wonder if Vegas had been hit by bombs. "No," was the response from the others, "It was probably one of the few areas of the old Commonwealth not to be nuked. From little that we know, House set up a missile defence shield. It stopped most of them, but one or two bombs still managed to get through."

"You would have thought the Hoover Dam should have been a target," I stated.

"It probably was, but the bomb heading there was taken out. Though I dread to think what the rest of this country looks like now," Cass muttered.

"Do you not hear anything from further east?" I wondered.

There were shrugs or shakes of the head. "You hear rumours of what happened. There were survivors, we know that much, as vaults were built everywhere. Stories of something happening in the Capital Wasteland around five years back even made it this way, though whether it's fact or rumour, no-one can be sure," Cass explained.

"Any of you ever heard of the Lone Wanderer?" Veronica asked.

"Who's that?" I asked.

"The Brotherhood sent a faction east quite a few years back now. Communication is difficult but we understand that we, or they, were involved in some big project there with someone that is being called the Lone Wanderer. No-one is sure who he is. Some say he came from a vault. Others think he arrived from another city. No-one seems to know his name, though. What I do know is that the Brotherhood chapter on the east coast no longer follows any of our directives."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"From what I know, they are still called the Brotherhood of Steel. But they are completely independent, though I would assume their ideals remain the same."

Cass clicked her fingers. "That's why I recognise the name!"

"You do?" I asked.

"Yes. Any of you ever read the Wasteland Survival Guide?" Cass wondered.

"I've heard mention of it," Boone replied, "Even the NCR have managed to get copies of it. They are handed to soldiers heading into the wasteland."

"I used to have a copy," Cass continued, "It was written by someone called Moira Brown, and there was a preface on the inside, thanking the Lone Wanderer for his assistance in putting it together."

"Where's the copy now?" I wondered.

Her face fell. "I always made sure a copy was kept on the caravan, whether to help me if I was actually along for the journey, or for those who carried out the journey on my behalf."

"Maybe it's still there?" I suggested hopefully.

Cass shrugged. "Yeah, maybe… But anyway, it was a good read. Whoever that Moira was, she was damned smart and definitely knew her stuff. I know it was printed in vast numbers and eventually ended up all the way on the west coast."

"It's a shame I can't remember anything. All I hear is all your stories," I muttered, "But at least I'm learning things."

The other continued to chat about events surrounding New Vegas as I focused on putting one foot in front of the other, feeling the weight of the hunting rifle I'd picked up in Novac in my hand, and continuously watching our surroundings. Boone had offered to take the rear, having proven to be the best shot out of all of us. Plus, I think he liked to be left alone with his thoughts, though even I would admit to slight concern at how dark they were. I'm sure mine were just as dark, but after everything he'd now been through…

Finally turning off the highway, Cass joined me on point again as she started to direct us towards the wreckage of her caravan. Vegas was still some distance off to our right, Cass suggesting we all take out our weapons the closer we got to our destination. When asked why, she said to be careful of one simple thing.

"Fiends."

I'm sure it was just in my mind, but a cool wind started to blow as the wreckage of her caravan came into view. Clouds actually covered the sun for a moment, and I probably wasn't the only one to feel a shiver, despite the heat. Looking at face, her lips were thin, her face otherwise grim but determined. She'd said little about what had happened to the caravan, just that it had been attacked, and her colleagues, if not friends, had been killed.

It wasn't exactly a scene of devastation that we found, but I assumed people had scavenged the wreckage in the time between our arrival and the day it had been sacked. We stood back as Cass surveyed before approaching, checking to see what had been taken. "Fuckers have taken nearly everything," she muttered.

Stopping in front of what looked like a pile of ash, she removed her hat and lowered her head. "Who were they?" I asked.

"My guards. My employees. Hell, I'd even consider them friends. I don't know how many attacked them, but they would have gone down with a fight."

She continued to check the wreckage, noticing the discarded drained energy cells, suggesting whoever had attacked the caravan used energy weapons. That was at least one clue, but there was nothing else that would suggest who was responsible.

"Could it have just been these fiends?" I asked.

Cass shrugged. "Maybe."

She gave me a look and I knew a barrage of questions was not going to be welcome. I nodded my understanding and received a smile in thanks, though it was nothing but sad. _She puts up a brave front, but she's heartbroken by this. Who wouldn't be?_

"Uhtred, I have another favour to ask," she asked once we started walking back to the main road north.

"Sure."

"When you've taken care of Benny, I want to check on some friends. I want to think the attack on my caravan was just an isolated incident, but all those discarded cells? Something doesn't sit right with me."

"What are you thinking?"

"That it may have been fiends that attacked my caravan, but that they were helped by someone else."

"Have you heard of attacks on others?" Veronica wondered.

"Caravans are attacked all the time. It's why we travel with guards. It doesn't help that we usually travel the same routes, but the NCR are meant to be protecting them."

Though I still led the way, Cass joined me up front again, directing our group in the direction of an area called Freeside. She pointed out Camp McCarran to our left, it's high, defensible walls a definite feature, explaining that it used to be an airport. The highway we were walking along eventually ended, the elevated part ahead of us having started to crumble away, though not all of it. We followed the road, continuing east of New Vegas, further explanations that the only entry into the Strip was through Freeside.

We passed by what appeared to be farms along the way, noticing numerous crops being grown, left wondering how they grew considering I had yet to see a single drop of rain since leaving Goodsprings. Apparently Lake Mead to the east hadn't suffered from radiation, which is why my pack had bottles of pure water, and why we had passed by a number of traders selling clean water.

The closer we got to New Vegas itself, the more that civilisation surrounded us. More houses. More people. More noise. It was a strange feeling to see, feel and hear the crowds around us, despite not even being in Freeside yet. It was so different to the open road and small towns I had wandered through. Knowing I was now very close to my objective, I felt absolutely no rising nervousness. Cass mentioned I was quieter than usual the closer we got, though that was because I was entertaining the rather dark thoughts floating through my mind, of just what I was going to do to Benny when I was finally face to face with him.

The only thing I said to all my companions is that they would not be invited to witness whatever I had planned.

Approaching the gates for Freeside, I could see more buildings in the distance. A few appeared to be intact, though many of them were partially to completely destroyed. Asking what was in that direction, Cass explained that it was Westside. "What's the difference between Freeside and Westside?" I wondered.

"You'll find out in about five minutes once we enter the gates to Freeside."

Passing through the gates, I didn't know what Westside was like, but I could understand what Cass meant immediately. To say that the blocks ahead of us were untouched by the bombs wouldn't be a lie. Sure, there was the general decay expected after two hundred years of no maintenance, but all in all, things didn't look bad. Certainly better compared to the other towns I'd passed through since leaving and including Goodsprings.

No, it wasn't the buildings or the physical surroundings that left me thinking. It was the people. I'd seen the poor, the downtrodden, the hopeless already. But what I'd seen before paled in comparison to the people I saw in Freeside. Drug addicts, criminals, the poor, the destitute, the insane, the… I could go on and on. I noticed that my companions bunched up just that little bit tighter the deeper into Freeside we walked, noticing the wandering eyes of everyone was passed.

Somehow, we made it through Freeside unmolested. There were signs to our left and right that suggested, despite the poverty and sense of despair, businesses had a presence. Street callers for somewhere called the Atomic Wrangler promised cheap drinks and gambling, while we passed by a building, illuminated by bright lights, which appeared to be the home of a group called the Kings.

The gates leading into New Vegas itself were heavily guarded by numerous Securitrons. We slowed our pace to nearly a crawl at the heavy handed presence, the others leaving me to approach alone. Before I could get anywhere near the gates themselves, a trio of the machines rolled forward and stopped me.

"Please submit to an inspection," one of the machine demanded.

"What sort? Weapons or caps?"

"Weapons for personal protection may be carried on the Strip. But there is a minimum amount of caps that must be carried per person." The machine then gestured to a board behind them, sitting on the wall. It listed how many caps had to be carried. "Please submit to a scan."

I actually didn't know how many caps we had. Cass and Veronica had spent plenty when Boone and I were guests of the Legion, while Boone and I had lost any we had been carrying when taken, and I knew that the caps had been lost forever.

So I guess the news I received after my scan shouldn't have been too much of a surprise. "You have insufficient caps to enter the Strip. Step back."

The machine didn't mess around, hearing a series of clicks, understanding immediately that their 'arms' were actually weapons, now all aimed in my direction. I half-raised my hands and took a few steps back, before turning around and walking back towards my companions. I guess my face and body language said everything as Sunny simply asked, "So what do we do now?"

"We need caps. Let's see if there are any businesses around here offering a job or two."


	14. Chapter 14 - Favours

I couldn't remember, having never seen any of the old video's, but I'm sure there are stories of a stranger walking into a saloon, music suddenly coming a halt as all eyes turn in their direction. Maybe someone would get up to challenge the stranger. Maybe he makes it to a chair or stool without question. Conversation and music will then resume and all would be well, or there would be a fight if challenge, the stranger proving his worth and then everything would continue as normal.

The entrance of our group into the Atomic Wrangler didn't quite have the same impact, though the guard at the door warned us to keep our weapons sheathed, and to not cause any trouble. I asked if there was any work available, told to just speak to the Garrett twins, as they were the proprietors of the bar and casino.

Realising we would have to spend money to make money, I organised a trio of rooms for our group, Sunny and I in one room, Veronica happy to share with Cass, while Boone was left the third room to himself. After handing over a pile of caps for the rooms and dumping our stuff, I headed back to the bar. A lone female was tending it, so I took a seat and asked for a drink. After being handed a glass of whiskey, she asked what brought me to Freeside.

"Trying to get onto the Strip but I don't have enough caps for now. And I don't think those robots will negotiate."

"How much are you out?"

"Enough where I'll need to find work. Or find some other way of getting onto the Strip. Don't suppose sneaking in is a possibility?"

She laughed. "The Strip is so well guarded; I don't think anyone has ever managed that. It's one way in, one way out. But if you need caps, there's always work here. Though whether you want to take the work or not is a question."

I sipped at my glass before asking, "Is there any other way onto the Strip besides working? Just want to know before asking about work."

"You can always get a passport, but they are almost impossible to get. You can try a forged passport, but those are not cheap either."

"Who do I speak to about that?"

She wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it over. "They're the best at what they do. Expensive, but worth every cap," she whispered, before grabbing my hand, squeezing it, forcing me to look into her eyes. "And you didn't get this from me. Understand?"

I just smiled. "Get what from you?"

She let go and returned the grin, though it was absolutely false, the eyes that looked at me cold and unfeeling. "So, still interested in work?"

"Let me talk to my colleagues first, but I'll probably be back."

Gathering my companions in one room, I explained our options. I knew nothing about the passport system, neither did any of the others. As for caps, I said I could work at the Wrangler. That led to a few comments, particularly from Cass, who was more than aware of the reputation of the Wrangler. Then I sat down on the edge of the bed and shared the most important thought.

"Okay, I'll be honest here for a moment. There's only one person who needs to get onto the Strip at the moment. Myself. I'm not going to need all of you with me to find Benny. In fact, as I've already told Sunny, I'm not going to want you by my side as I deal with him. This is a personal thing, and I don't want anyone next to me, trying to talk me out of it. However, once that issue is dealt with, I guess the rest of you might need to get onto the Strip too."

"You could always head to McCarran," Boone suggested, "I know, for a fact, that they have no problem hiring mercenaries for particular jobs they can't do."

"Or you can try Crimson Caravan. But that'll probably take you away from New Vegas," Cass suggested.

I looked at Veronica, but she just shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, I'll see what the job offer here is. If it's not something I want to do, or doesn't offer the caps I need, I'll consider my options. But I don't particularly want to end up too far away from Freeside, or the Strip. Benny has had a lot of time since putting a bullet in my head. I don't know what he plans, but I want this resolved."

Heading back downstairs, I asked what the job would involve. In the end, it didn't sound as bad as I thought it might have been. Track down a trio of people who owed the bar some caps. I didn't have to kill anyone. "Take off your hat, let's get a look at you," she asked. Doing as she asked, she didn't appear shocked by the scars. "Hell, they'll take one look at your after you ask for the caps and I don't think you'll have a problem."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not."

"You're new in town?" I nodded. "I'm not sure if you know of our reputation, but although we protect ourselves, and don't take kindly to people taking advantage of us, we certainly don't condone murder. Well, in most circumstances anyway. Running a casino is always bound to make you enemies."

She gave me ideas on where I would find the trio of people who owed them money, before asking, "What's your name, stranger?"

"Uhtred."

She offered her hand again. "Francine. I have a brother called James. He takes the other shift. If you need more caps after this job, he might have something for you."

"Anyone else offering work around here?"

"You could always try the Kings. They're a weird bunch, but we have no problem with them. The Followers in their fort are always looking for help. They don't particularly like us, but we recognise the good work they do on Freeside."

"So plenty of options?"

"Of course. Just watch yourself out there. The main thoroughfare is generally safe, during daylight hours at least. Watch the side roads. Plenty of fuckwits out to ruin your day and take your life over little more than a few caps."

Heading back upstairs again, I shared what information I'd learned, one or two snickers about me being little more than a 'debt collector', but caps were caps, and I didn't see any sort of shop advertising jobs. Veronica was interested in learning about the Followers, so I suggested she should go and introduce herself, and see if they needed any help. Cass and Sunny offered to join her, so that left Boone. Somewhat unsurprisingly, he said he'd either stay in his room and perhaps head to the bar. I think that was code for wanting to drink, and I was certainly in no position to judge. I was also left feeling he was a little lost. Obviously desperate to leave Novac behind, I was one of few choices available to leave. But what would he do now? Apart from revenge against the Legion, I did wonder what he wanted to do.

But if I didn't need the caps, I probably would have joined him at the bar.

* * *

Francine was right about one thing. I was definitely intimidating, no more having to ask two of the targets to hand over what they owed, and after removing my hat and opening part of my coat to reveal a pair of weapons, the caps were soon in my pocket. The first one tried what I assumed was the usual sob story, but grabbing him by the collar and threatening bodily harm merely helped. I didn't need to actually get violent.

That was until I took a wrong turn and ended up walking down what I soon realised was a dead end street.

Turning back to leave, at least half a dozen thugs were blocking my bath. None appeared to be carrying a firearm, but a lead pipe or machete could damage me just as bad. None of them said anything for at last a minute while I was relaxed. My weapons were currently hidden by my coat, so they probably thought I was just some lost tourist, and therefore an easy mark.

"Hand over your caps, and we'll make your death quick," one of the thugs offered. I smiled at the one who spoke but said nothing. I could see the glance he shared with a couple of his colleagues. "Don't and we'll make sure we keep you alive for a lot longer."

I calculated the distance they were from me. How long it would take me to grab my pistols and fire. I probably wouldn't be able to shoot them all before they closed the gap, but I guess it would be a case of injuring them and finishing the job later.

My silence was unnerving them, and there were more shared glances, I guess unasked questions of 'Do we attack this guy or not?' I made the decision for them, throwing back my coat to reveal four holstered pistols. I drew quicker than they could move, lifting the two 10mm pistols and firing as the two I aimed at had barely stepped forward nor lifted their weapons. The one to the left went straight down, bullet through the face. The second was only hit in the shoulder, but the two weapons were already arcing, firing at the next two targets, aiming lower into their legs.

The last two targets had already closed the gap by the time I was aiming at them. Taking into account both were armed with a pipe or some sort of metal object, I holstered my weapons while walking forward. I could see the look of confusion on one of them as I stepped forward, the other getting ready to strike.

If they'd been smart, they would have worked in tandem, but while they both tried to attack me at once, they didn't time their attacks. Despite not being unarmed, I managed to take down both of them easily. I don't know how. I couldn't remember training. But I just seemed to know when to move, when to hit, where to hit, when to duck, when to retreat. I disarmed the thug with the pipe with a heel to the knee and a punch to the throat. The last thug ended up on the ground nursing a broken arm.

Picking up the pipe, I made sure those not already dead were unconscious by the time I departed the dead end road. I didn't search pockets for identification or caps. I wasn't a thief, though contemplated killing all of them, but I figured that would make me little more than a murderer. I'd probably be doing Freeside a favour by doing it, but I guess I still had some sort of conscience.

Still carrying the pipe, I exited the dead end and eventually found the third and last mark. She took one look at my face, her eyes moving towards the pipe in my hand, and all I had to do was mention the fact I was collecting a debt and caps were quickly placed in my hand with her apologies. I could have warned her to be careful, but she muttered something about being broke and heading back to California. I'd heard enough sob stories from the other two marks, so I just turned and walked back to the Wrangler.

Francine was happy to have the caps in hand and even appeared to be pleased when informing her that I managed to do all three jobs without any violence. "It's unusual trait in Freeside. Violence begets violence most of the time."

"Oh, I had to get violent with others. Some locals tried to ambush me."

"Did you kill them?"

"Can I be honest and say I wanted to but didn't?"

"Well, it wouldn't have bothered me if you did, and I reckon most people living in this sometimes cesspit wouldn't have been bothered either. But I guess you have to draw a line somewhere. I guess they'll think twice before trying again." She handed me a pouch, opening to see plenty of caps. "Payment for a job well done, and a little bonus for not killing them. We wanted our caps back, but we also like return business."

"Got anything else need doing today?"

"Not today. Come back tomorrow and my brother might have something. Your friends disappeared not long after you left. I think the girls are back at least."

"What about the man? He was supposed to be staying here."

"He said he was just heading out to get some air. He wasn't carrying his rifle, so I would assume he's not looking for trouble."

Heading upstairs, Cass, Veronica and Sunny were in our room, chatting about something, though the conversation ceased as I walked in. Curious as to what they were talking about, I took a seat and looked at them silently until someone said something. "We've been talking, Uhtred," Sunny stated.

"I guessed that. But I am left wondering what you've been discussing…"

She looked at Cass and Veronica before returning her attention to me. "I think if we were to pool all the caps we have, you would have enough to get onto the Strip."

"Okay, that's all well and good, but what will you survive on?"

"We'll find a little work with the Followers, and we can always look into getting a passport." I took the bit of paper out of my pocket and handed it over. "Oh, is this who we should go see?"

"It's obviously not entirely legal, but it's a suggestion. They might be able to help, but I have no idea how much it'll cost to get all of you a passport."

"I've already got one," Cass admitted, "But it's my name, so you can't use it, Uhtred. Just thought you should know."

"And I guess Boone will have one too?" I wondered. The three shrugged, but I assumed he probably did, just didn't want to say. "He's been here plenty of times, from conversations we've shared. It's where he met his wife. Anyway, you're serious about this?"

"We'll wait for Boone to return, see if he agrees, then tomorrow morning, you can head onto the Strip."

Sunny escorted me to the intersection the next morning, the rest remaining the Wrangler, I guess to give us a little privacy. She didn't wish me good luck, not at first. She just told me to be careful and to make sure that I would walk out of the Strip, happy with whatever I chose to do. Then she kissed me, the sort of kiss that would leave any man or woman breathless, before she hugged me briefly, told me to be careful, before she headed back to the Wrangler.

I felt some nerves heading towards the entrance to the Strip. Not for what lay beyond the Strip, and my eventual showdown with Benny. It was actually dealing with those securitrons again, eager as it seemed to put bullets into anyone who came close without the requisite caps in their pockets or a passport, whatever that looked like.

Crowds were few approaching the gates, though there was a line of people waiting to enter the Strip. Though it was daytime, the lights were still shining bright in the near distance, while you could probably hear the noise from the Strip at the other end of Freeside, if not halfway across the Mojave, though it was strange I'd never really noticed it until now. Probably because it was just background noise to whatever I was up to at the time. As I waited in line, I did wonder what was on the other side of the gates and walls. No end of crowds, but I wondered if they were all tourists, or if there were plenty of locals living on the other side.

A few unhappy people were turned away, though I think more passed through, before it was my turn to be searched. The securitrons didn't appear to care about the weaponry currently on my person. They asked to see my caps, scanned it, and pleased with what they saw, wished me a happy welcome to New Vegas. I surprised myself by thanking the robot in return, hearing a snicker of laughter from someone behind me. I didn't blame them.

Walking through what I now realised was a barricade, not just a gate, I finally exited onto the Strip itself, coming to a stop as my senses were overloaded. The crowds were enormous! The noise seemed to go up an innumerable number of decibels upon passing through. The lights were almost blinding, even during the daylight, so was left wondering how bright it would be during the evening. Having not walked the Mojave during twilight, I hadn't noticed how bright New Vegas actually was.

Weaving through the crowds, noticing plenty of NCR soldiers throughout, it was hard to miss the Lucky 38 Casino, and the tower that reached to the clouds. The surprising thing was the fact no-one was entering or exiting the casino. Instead, a trio of securitrons were out front, standing guard, and no-one appeared to even dare approach. One of the securitrons appeared familiar, so I made my way towards it.

"Howdy, stranger!"

"What are you doing here, Victor?"

"Well, as I said, I was making my way to New Vegas, and here I am."

"But why are you waiting here?"

"Well, Mr. House is waiting for you to retrieve that platinum chip. Once you have it back, I would return here as soon as possible."

I looked around and noticed an illuminated sign for the Tops casino nearby. Pointing, I replied, "Well, Benny should be in there. So I guess I might be back shortly."

The crowds outside the Gomorrah were not surprising, as there were plenty of whores plying their trade, trying to tempt NCR soldiers or others inside. One or two even shouted in my direction, though I ignored their calls, as I headed towards the Tops. Further on I could see another casino, the White Glove Society. I didn't know anything about them, though Cass had spoken at length about what Boone and I could get up to in the Gomorrah if we wanted. Continuing on, not wanting to enter the Tops just yet, I eventually ended up outside the NCR Embassy, not the most exciting place on earth, before noticing an entrance to the Vault 21 Hotel.

"Hang on, that's where the Doc Mitchell was from," I said quietly to myself. Intrigued though I was, I focused my mind on the Tops. Crossing the main street, I sat down on a bench and kept an eye on the entrance. There didn't appear to be many, if any guards on the outside, though the doors constantly opening and closing suggested there was at least some security inside.

"Your intentions don't look entirely noble," a voice said quietly beside me.

It caught me by surprise, so focused I was on the casino doors. "Perhaps not."

"Are you planning a robbery or… something else?"

"I'm not a thief."

"Something else then?"

"Maybe."

"Most casino's don't allow weapons. They are confiscated upon entry."

"What I'm planning won't need a firearm."

The voice didn't reply for a moment. "I would ask but…"

Removing my hat, I turned to look at the gentleman beside me. "It's called retribution, stranger. And I will have it."

"I would have offered you something but I have a feeling you'll be just fine." Tipping his hat, he simply added, "You have a good day now, friend."

Tipping my hat in reply, I thanked him as he disappeared into the crowd. Returning my attention to the doors, I knew I couldn't sit there all day. Not because I would be noticed. I was merely another face in the crowd. But Benny was somewhere behind those doors. Plotting I didn't know what, but the platinum chip was clearly the key to it all. But I considered it my property. I didn't know anything about it otherwise. Would I deliver it to Mr. House? I'll admit a little part of me wanted to know what was so important about it.

Getting to my feet, I steeled myself for the inevitable showdown. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes, lowering my head, clearing my mind of everything except what I thought was to come. I had an idea in my mind of how I wanted things to happen. I had an idea of what might happen. Whether either of them came to fruition would probably count more on luck than anything else.

Raising my head, I kept my focus on the doors as I strode forward, the crowd appearing to part like the sea. I barely broke stride as I walked through the door, the only thing bringing to a halt once inside being the line of security, searching each person wanting to enter the casino. I probably had murder in my eyes, as three of them burst forward to stop me. They started politely, at least.

"Welcome to the Tops," the first guard stated.

"Before you enter, we do have to ask if you are carrying any weapons," the second guard added.

"Any weapons must be handed over to security before allowing you inside," the third guard finished.

Opening my coat, I simply said, "Well, I am carrying these."

"Whoa!" exclaimed the first guard.

The second guard looked at the four pistols and smirked. "So, you aren't planning on doing something stupid, are you?"

Closing my coat, to at least hide the weapons, I smiled, trying to appear as friendly and relaxed as possible. "No. I am merely wishing to locate a gentleman by the name of Benny. I believe he works at this establishment."

The three guards shared a cautious glance. "And what do you want with him?" the first guard asked warily.

"It is a private matter between myself and him."

"Wait here," the first guard ordered, and he walked across to the reception desk. He was only gone a couple of minutes, before he asked me to speak to one of the people at reception. It was there that I found myself introduced to a man named Swank. He offered his hand, which I willingly accepted.

"So, you want to speak to Benny. I believe my guards have asked, but as one of the Chairmen, I must ask what business you have with Benny. We look after each other, after all."

For the umpteenth time since waking in New Vegas, I removed my hat, placing it down on the desk. I noticed his eyes move straight towards the scars across my scalp. "Benny left a bullet in my head back in Goodsprings. I wish to ask him why he shot me."

"Got any proof that it was him?" Swank asked, but his tone suggested he either knew something, or at least already partly believed me. Considering I'd come all the way from Goodsprings and had managed to track him down, I guess it was partly convincing.

So I laid it all out for him. First, the cigarette tabs, placing those on the desk. Swank picked one up and examined it. "Shit," he whispered, "Well, these are those that Benny likes to smoke. Rare as hen's teeth these are. You pay through the absolute nose just to get one pack, let alone a carton."

"These were around the shallow grave he had me buried in."

Next was the lighter given to me by one of the Khans, placing it down on the desk and sliding it across. "Benny struck a deal with the Great Khans. They were involved in my kidnapping and attempted execution."

"What did you do to them?"

"My quarrel was not with them. Some would think I should cut a swathe through anyone involved. No, I'm just after the man who pulled the trigger. I let them live, and the Khans are not happy either, as Benny broke the deal he had with them. Their leader, Jessup, gave me this lighter that Benny had given him. I believe his last words to me before leaving was about shoving it where the sun doesn't shine."

Swank picked up the lighter, turning it this way and that, before he finally placed it down and nodded. "That's definitely his lighter."

I leaned forward, placing elbows on the desk, interlocking my fingers. "Look, I don't know what your relationship with the man is. He could be a colleague. Be your boss. Just be a friend. But my attempted execution was to obtain a platinum chip."

"A what?"

"A platinum chip. And I believe it has something to do with Mr. House and his control of New Vegas."

Swank copied my body language, leaning forward. "What do you know?" he asked quietly.

"Not enough. Not yet. But the fact he stopped me delivering the chip to him would suggest something untoward, correct?"

"But what exactly?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. But considering I was the one who was shot in the head, I want to find out."

"And what will you do when you finish your… conversation?" The look I returned should have suggested what I wanted. Swank met my eyes in silence for at least half a minute before he sighed. "If he really is planning on taking down House… Wait here a moment." Swank disappeared, leaving me alone with the trio of security guards. I noticed their glances occasionally turn my way, but as there was still plenty of traffic in and out, I was left alone until Swank reappeared. "Okay, I've talked with the others, explaining everything you told us. We think you have enough evidence, plus there's enough to know Benny is up to something, that we're willing to let you deal with it."

"And no-one will involve themselves?"

"They've sent the word out. No-one will stop you. Benny is on the thirteenth floor. To get them out of the way, have a quiet word and ask them to return here. We'll explain everything."

"And Benny?"

"Is yours to deal with."

"You have my thanks."

It was obvious from all the lights that electricity flowed through New Vegas, and I was pleased to see that at least one elevator was still in operation, as I didn't particularly find the prospect of climbing thirteen flights of stairs appealing. The elevator was obviously a couple of centuries old, but apart from a few squeaks, and a slight rattle, I didn't feel an impending sense of death as I ascended.

Exiting into a brightly lit hallway, a couple of men in suits were on patrol. I waved them closer, and though they were cautious, they still came towards me. "Swank wants a word downstairs. Are there any other guards on patrol?"

"No, we're the only two. What does Swank want? And who are you?"

"He'll explain everything downstairs."

"What about Benny?"

"I'm here to see him. Again, Swank will explain everything. What room is Benny in?"

The two guards shared a glance, before they both shrugged. "You'll find him in room 1305."

"Thanks."

I waited until they had boarded the elevator and hearing it descend before I approached the door leading into his room. Standing to the side, I took one of the 10mm pistols from it's holster, checked the clip, the chamber, and leaned back against the wall, steeling myself for what I was about to do. Taking one last, deep breath, I walked towards the opposite wall, turned and strode forward, kicking the door in.

Immediately seeing Benny in front of me, I pulled the trigger.


	15. Chapter 15 - Vengeance

I didn't aim for his head. I wanted to. I desperately wanted to end it there and then. But I had questions that required answers, and only he would have them.

So the bullet went into and through his right shoulder. He cried out as I walked forward, closing the gap between us quickly. He fumbled for the weapon he kept underneath his jacket, but before he could withdraw it, I pistol whipped him across the jaw, knocking him to the ground. With blood trickling from his mouth, desperately trying to say something, I leaned forward and hit him again, this time knocking him unconscious.

Then I got to work.

* * *

I slapped him lightly on the cheek a few times. "Wakey-wakey, Benny. Rise and shine."

He was groggy as he initially opened his eyes, though once he realised he was restrained, he was soon wide awake and alert. "What the fuck!" Then his eyes fell on me standing a few feet from him. "What… The courier?" I kept my face blank. "You shot me, you fucker!"

I said nothing as I stepped forward, and I could see the concern on his face, particularly as I crouched down so our eyes were level. "Let me explain your predicament, Benny," I started, keeping my voice quiet, "You are currently naked, well, except for your underwear. You've been shot in the right shoulder. I've managed to stem the bleeding, but it's a bad wound." I gestured towards the nearby table. "I have various implements on there that will help make you talk. You will tell me what you have planned. You will tell me why you shot me. You will explain everything you can think of. Then, and only then, may I choose to let you live."

"Fuck you."

I smiled. "Just the answer I was looking for."

I turned back to the couch and took off my coat, laying that down, before I took off the holster, all four weapons in place. I took one of the 10mm pistols and placed it on the table next to the other implements. I noticed Benny look at it, before he noticed I had taken his pistol. I picked it up and looked it over. "This is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, Benny. You must have paid a lot of caps for something like this."

"I knew I should have put a second bullet in you."

I levelled the pistol and shot his other shoulder. I aimed so it only winged him, drawing only a little blood. "Keep that up, Benny, and you'll definitely have more than one."

Placing the pistol back on the table, I turned my back as I removed my hat, placing that on top of the coat and holster, before I then removed my shirt, hopefully revealing the scars on my back. "Holy shit," I heard him mutter.

Turning back to face him, his eyes travelled from the couple of scars on my chest to the scars now on my head. He did his best to keep back the smirk, but it still formed, albeit slightly. I'd let him have that as I approached the table again, picking up one of the knives. Crouching down in front of him again, at eye level once again, I made sure I gave him the dead eyed stare that had already been so effective. Placing the tip of the knife under his eye, he couldn't help flinch. "Now, listen closely, Benny," I continued quietly, "The man you shot in Goodsprings is dead. I have no memory of who I was before. Amnesia, they call it. But since then, I have met a formidable enemy in the name of the Legion. They are responsible for the marks on my back, if you were wondering. Caesar was trying to break me, mould me into something else. The thing is, he was partly successful. Part of the new me died up on that hill. Part of my conscience survived, but when it comes to dealing with the likes of you, there is only darkness, only hate, rage and anger remaining. So I would suggest that you co-operate with me, because trust me on this one, you won't want to test my limits. I have realised the world is a cruel place. I have suffered at the hands of yourself. I have suffered at the hands of the Legion. I will now return that favour."

He gulped before asking, "What do you want to know?"

"What's the platinum chip for?"

"I don't know."

I slammed the knife into his thigh. They probably would have heard his cries down in the lobby. "You're lying to me, Benny!" I said quietly, leaning forward into his ear. He tried struggling against his restraints, but I had tied him up well. He wasn't going anywhere. "Try again, Benny. What's the chip for?"

"Fuck you!" he hissed.

I returned to the table and picked up another knife. "You've already got a bullet through one shoulder, Benny. I've hit you with a second. You now have a knife in one of your thighs. You're going to lose a lot of blood if you're not careful. Do you want to die for this?"

"I can't!" he exclaimed.

"You can't what?" I retorted calmly.

"I can't say."

"Of course you can, Benny. There is nothing stopping you. We are the only two people in this room. Tell me what you know, tell me what you have planned, tell me everything, and you may just survive this. Tell me truly, is this really worth losing your life over?"

He took a few deep breaths, looking at me with nothing but hate in his eyes. I returned his look, and I almost smiled as the hate slowly turned to fear. "Who the fuck are you?"

I slammed the knife into his other thigh. He cried out again, pulling at his restraints, rocking back and forth in his chair, groaning through gritted teeth. I wondered if he was about to start crying as he lowered his head. I grabbed his hair and lifted his head, a giant string of spit leaving his mouth. He was now sweating rather heavily, and despite his best efforts, his face creased with pain. I returned to eye level, letting go of his head and taking half a step back. "I am just a courier, Benny. I was to deliver that platinum chip to Mr. House. You stopped me from completing that job. Now I am wondering why?" He brought his breathing under control, looking around the room, particularly towards the door. That made me smile for a second. "No-one is coming. You have no friends or allies. It's just you and me."

For a few minutes, I honestly believed he wasn't going to crack and that I'd have to get medieval on his arse. The thought didn't bother me at all, which made me wonder just what I was truly capable of. I believed he was going to die for whatever his cause was. He must have noticed something in my eyes, as he finally cracked and nodded his head. "Okay, okay… First, can you take the knives out of my thighs?"

"Tell me what I want to know, then I'll take them out and even help look after the bullet wound. But I want to know first. Tell me that, then we'll look after it."

He remained silent again, though only for a minute or so, before he sighed and nodded. "Before we start, a fellow has to know. How the hell did you track me down?"

I took the cigarette butts and lighter out of my pocket and laid them on the table. "You were sloppy, Benny. I'm no detective, but you left enough clues that I could figure things out eventually. That checked suit of yours, that was particularly memorable. The Great Khans were very willing to give you up too. Plenty of people out there also want you dead for whatever you have planned in that head of yours."

He sighed again before he met my eyes. "Ever wanted absolute control?" he finally asked.

"What do you mean?"

"The chip. It's all about control. You say you died again up on that hill. Under that hill is some sort of facility owned by House. That's what the chip is for. House is old. Like pre-war old. I don't think he's a ghoul. He's used some sort of medicine to stay alive all this time. But he must have a plan. I aim to change that plan."

"With the chip?" He nodded. "So what's under the hill?"

"That's what I don't know. At least, I don't know yet. But it's to do with his Securitrons. It upgrades them or something. Those robots are already one of the keys to power in Vegas. If they were to be upgraded, whoever is in control would be damn near infallible."

"And to take control, you thought putting a bullet in my head was worth it?"

He actually smiled, the bastard. "What I did to you was rotten, but if you think House, the NCR or Caesar won't kill anyone who stands in their way to put Vegas in their pocket, I really did blow out your brains."

I'll admit, he had me there. I'd dealt with the NCR, and while they appeared friendly, there was no doubt they wanted full control and would stomp over whoever got in their way. Caesar had already proven to me what he was capable of doing. As for House? I actually didn't know much about him.

"Tell me about him."

"House?" I nodded. "It was his big idea to resurrect the Strip. He recruited the Three Families as muscle, showed us how to set up casinos, negotiated with the NCR."

"Three Families?"

"Yeah. There's us, the Chairmen. The Omertas, who run the Gomorrah. And then you have the lot that run the White Glove Society. Weird bunch."

"Okay, back to House. You want control of Vegas. What's wrong with House running it?"

"He controls Vegas through his Securitrons. You walked by the Lucky 38?" I nodded again. "No-one ever comes or goes. It's guarded by his Securitrons, and no-one dares approach. No-one has seen him since his return. He controls everything through those damned robots. He may have given a little power to the Families, but we know who really runs Vegas. We're nothing but stooges."

"So what? He's no better than Caesar?"

"Hell, at least we know what Caesar wants with Vegas. A few crucifixions and he'll probably burn the entire thing down otherwise. The NCR just want control, power and money. Vegas will just become another city. House? He actually scares me the most. Caesar is nothing but a tyrant. I can't think of the word to describe House."

"So what do you want?"

"Independence. Free from the power of House, and holding back the forces of the NCR and Legion."

"That's rather admirable, Benny. But it is unfortunate that you chose to try and kill me to achieve it."

He met my eyes again but remained silent. He eventually asked, "I don't suppose I can talk you out of doing something stupid?"

I shook my head. "No, Benny. I walked into this casino with the intention of walking out alone, with the chip in my pocket." Walking to the table, I picked up the pistol, turned and stepped back in front of Benny. "I don't remember what happened up on that hill in Goodsprings. I have a feeling there are probably some similarities."

"Yeah, there are some…"

"It's a shame I can't remember if you said any final words to me. I'd like to repeat them back to you. It would be considered poetic."

He shrugged before asking, "You really think this will make you feel better?"

I returned the shrug. "Probably not. But this an eye for an eye." I levelled the pistol. "Goodbye, Benny."

I pulled the trigger without hesitation.

The bullet was aimed at the centre of his forehead. It went through, leaving a little hole, from which a trickle of blood flow down his face. The bullet exploded out the back, and it would have been hard to miss the fine spray of blood that came out the back, along with some bits of brain and skull. His head immediately dropped down. Placing the pistol in the band of my trousers, I stepped forward and grabbed a handful of his hair, lifting his face to see already dead eyes look at mine. Releasing his head, I walked into the bathroom and was happy to see the place had running water, cleaning my hands and face.

Dressing myself first, I then picked up the chip that I had found in the pocket of his coat. Sitting down on the couch, I could only look at it with wonder, intrigued as to what it would do. Benny had given me an idea, but I was now left with a thought. Do I actually complete the task and return it to House? Benny had put another thought into my mind.

There were at least three powers in or around Vegas. The NCR wanted control. Caesar wanted control. House wanted control. I didn't believe any of them cared what the people of Vegas and the Mojave wanted. We were nothing but pawns to play with. The chip currently in my hands could turn the tide. Putting the chip in my pocket, I rose to my feet and searched the hotel room. It was during the search that I found a hole in a wall, walking through into what appeared to be service tunnels. And it was there that I found a lone securitron.

* * *

The conversation I had with Yes Man was long, and the information I received in return was staggering. I thought I had understood what Benny had planned from our rather short conversation, but it paled into comparison what I learned from Yes Man. I talked to him for so long that I needed to grab a chair and sit down, listening intently as I questioned the motives and ideas of just exactly what Benny planned to do.

After speaking for what felt like hours, I had one simple question. "Will this all work?"

"Yes. With the right allies, and the use of the platinum chip, the independence of New Vegas should be guaranteed."

I leaned back in the chair, running a hand down my face. I couldn't help take a deep breath as I considered my options. "I'll be honest, I only wanted to get the chip back so I could finish the job. But what I've learned since… What do you think I should do?"

"I've been programmed to have no loyalty to Mr. House, stranger."

"Hmmm. Guess I might have to ask what people out there think."

"I'll be waiting here until you come back."

Heading back through the apartment, Benny was still tied to the chair, still very much dead. With everything I had brought with me either holstered or in my pocket, including the chip, I simply walked out, closing the door behind me. Exiting the elevator once descended, I noticed the hush at my appearance, walking through the parting crowds towards the lobby. One or two Chairmen actually tipped their hat to me as I passed, before I found myself in front of Swank.

"So?" he asked.

"The situation has been resolved. I have retrieved my property."

"And Benny?" I'm sure the look I returned said it all. "Very well, I'll send a couple of the boys up to sort it out. We'll find a nice grave for him out in the Mojave. What are you own plans now, stranger?"

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I came in here intent on one thing, and one thing only. But my conversation with Benny was… Well, it was illuminating at least."

"Well, look here, stranger."

"Name's Uhtred."

"Strange name. Anyway, the boys and I have been talking. We feel awful bad about what Benny did to you, so we'd like to offer you the Presidential Suite for the duration of your stay. Whether it's a week, a month, hell even a year. Not many people use it, so we'd like you to have it for the time being."

"That's generous of you. Quite the favour. And I hesitate to ask, but can I another?"

"Shoot."

"I have some friends in Freeside. They've been travel companions so far, and they would like to enter the Strip. Unfortunately, we only had enough caps between us for me to get past security. Do you have anything that can help?"

"Can do, friend. How many people?"

"Four people and an eyebot."

"An eye-what? Never mind. I can do you four temporary passports. They'll get your friends through security."

"You have my thanks."

"Give me a couple of days to sort it all out."

"Very well. Can you send word? My friends are staying the Atomic Wrangler."

"The Wrangler? I know the Garretts. Good people. I'll send a runner there to meet you. Who are your companions? I mean, male or female?"

"One male, three females."

"Names aren't important. I can make that shit up. So, give me two days and you can return here, make yourself at home in the Presidential and enjoy what the Strip has to offer."

Tipping my hat, I thanked the man before I walked out of the casino. Back out into the crowds, I immediately turned towards the only exit from the Strip. Walking past the Lucky 38, I took off my hat in hope none of the securitrons, in particular Victor, wouldn't recognise me. But the crowds must have been too thick to see me anyway, as I made it to the exit without a problem.

I slowed my pace as I walked through Freeside. I was still wary of the thugs who could possibly make my life uncomfortable, but I wanted to take the few minutes alone, amazed at how quiet the streets were compared to the street, though that's not to say there were not plenty of people making their way to the Strip. I felt… relief, I guess would be the first feeling. Perhaps a sense of justice or vindication too. But I didn't feel happy or delighted. I never expected to feel it after having my revenge. I didn't feel empty. But his last question had been on point.

I didn't exactly feel great. I guess it was another bit of proof that I still had a little bit of conscience inside me, though I know I had also effectively tortured the man before ending his life. But I had kept the promise to myself. I had managed to track down the man who put a bullet in me across the Mojave, faced him down, and finished the job. I guess I could be pleased with that, at least.

What to do next was the following question in my mind, though I put it to the back once I walked through door of the Wrangler. Sunny and the rest were sat at one of the tables, Cass jerking her head in my direction upon my appearance. Removing my hat for once, I grabbed a chair and joined them.

Before anyone could ask, I simply said, "He's dead."

"How?" Boone wondered.

I gave him a look, before I shrugged and replied. "I shot him. Took his gun too," I added, taking out the 9mm and placing it on the table. The grip was beautifully crafted, which is why I had taken it.

"Nice," Boone asked, looking my way for permission before picking it up.

"I also got this," I said, taking the chip from my other pocket and placing it on the table. "And, I'll admit, I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do now."

"Why is that?" Cass asked.

"Because, before I killed him, Benny and I had a little conversation. Once that conversation ceased, and he was dead, I found something else interesting. And I conversed with it." Picking up the chip again, I added, "The potential power of this chip is staggering. It could swing the war one way or another. Or, if given to House, result in him having almost unlimited control."

"So what are you going to do with it?" Sunny wondered.

I shrugged. "To be honest, I don't know. But I'm not delivering it to House yet. And, if you're wondering, I've got the four of you passports. The Chairmen had no idea what Benny had been planning, so are willing to give us a suite for the time being. The passports should be here in a couple of days."

"So what do we do until then?" Veronica asked, "Because, to be honest, Uhtred, it sounds like you already have an idea forming?"

"I do. Give me a second." I asked Francine behind the bar for some empty glasses. Told that I had to order something, I bought a bottle of whiskey, was given the glasses, and returned to the table. "Okay, I'll explain what I know. I don't really have an idea. Not yet. But after my conversation with Benny and afterwards, I now have at least a slight understanding of the situation. Bear with me on this."

I placed three large glasses on the table. "These represent what was explained as the three major groups. The NCR and Legion are obvious. The third is House. He practically owns Vegas and the securitrons do his bidding." Placing another bunch of smaller glasses on the table, I continued. "Now we have all the other groups. Some competing with the others. Some isolated. Others allied to one of the big three in one way or another. You have the Three Families – the Chairman, the Omertas and the White Glove - on the Strip. They are somewhat allied to House."

"Somewhat?"

"They're loyal through fear, Cass. Benny explained a little of the history between House and the Three Families. There is little love lost between the two of them. So that's the Strip. In Freeside, you have the Kings. I'm tempted to go see them in the next couple of days before the passports arrive."

"Good idea. The King is meant to be a good man," Boone stated.

"In the Mojave, you have the Fiends. Pain in the arse, chem-influenced psychopaths. They're a group to be dealt with through force only. You have the Great Khans to the west. They don't like the NCR."

"And they have every reason not to," Boone muttered.

"Veronica knows all about the Brotherhood of Steel. Once powerful, now a shadow of what they were. Do you agree?" Veronica nodded. "To the north-east you have the Boomers. Armed to the teeth, no-one fucks with them. Apparently they've been isolated for years. There are rumours of the weapons they have at their disposal, and it wouldn't surprise me if the NCR and Legion attempted to either ally or take them on."

"You've also got the Followers of the Apocalypse," Cass added, "Though they are pacifists. But they are still a faction to be considered."

"Very well, we can add them to the list. Now, we have the NCR and Legion wanting control of the Hoover Dam. We have House wanting to… I'm not entirely sure. Maintain control, obviously. But I'm not sure his intentions regarding the other two groups. The smaller factions all want a share of the pie. Some just want a piece. Others would like a larger slice."

We sat in silence after I poured us each a glass of whiskey. Sitting back, sipping at the liquid, I let my thoughts wander and no doubt my companions were also chewing on everything I just described. Boone was the first one to crack.

"So, are you considering supporting the NCR?" he asked.

I shrugged. "No idea. I'm merely describing the lay of the land. But tell me this. The NCR is obviously not the Legion, but say they take control of Vegas and the Dam, what do you think they'll do with it? Add to that, I don't think House is just going to roll over and accept it."

"Hang on a second," Sunny exclaimed, "Uhtred, seriously, this is quite a serious conversation, and it sounds like something a lot more than just thoughts. I mean, I know you now have the chip back, but are seriously considering not returning it to House?"

"Would you want him to have it?"

She paused for a moment before asking, "Is he really that bad?"

"I don't know, but I intend on finding out once we're all on the Strip."

Boone leaned forward, eager for my gaze. "One thing only, Uhtred." I nodded. "Do not support the Legion."

I couldn't help grin. "After what happened to us, do you really think that could ever possibly happen?"

"While that is true, Caesar wouldn't have got where he was without at least a few favours. He now knows who you are and what you are capable of. I think we all agree here that you're no ordinary courier. What you were before Goodsprings, I'm not exactly sure, but it was definitely something to… fear."

"I scare you?" I asked in surprise.

"Honestly, a little bit, yes. Though that's because I don't know who or where you trained, who your allegiance is actually to and I'm not sure what you have planned in that head of yours."

"Neither do I, or at least I don't yet."

"So what do we do the next couple of days?" Cass asked.

"As I said, I think I'll approach the Kings and get to know them. I think you three," I added, pointing at Cass, Veronica and Sunny, "You should keep in contact with these Followers. If they are good people, then it will be smart to keep them on side."

Later that night, Sunny and I were lying back in our room. Still fully clothed, though I know we were both probably going to wake up with a slight hangover the next morning, the bottle of whiskey shared between the five of us having quickly turned into a second. Our three companions had left Sunny and I alone again, and once the casino had quieted down, she grabbed me by the hand and led me upstairs.

"It sounds like you have plans," she said quietly, running a hand lightly up and down my chest.

"Not really. No plans. Just thoughts."

"The chip sounds powerful, Uhtred. It sounds like you could be kingmaker. Or peacemaker. Or…"

"Well, what's your personal opinion of the NCR?"

I felt her shrug. "They appear to be keeping the peace, but I don't think anyone in the Mojave believes they are here for just noble purposes. They want the Dam, and damn anyone who stands in their way."

"And I guess there's no point asking about the Legion?"

"No. Not after what they did to you. But I didn't like what I'd heard about them before anyway. I've heard about the slaves they use. And the way they treat women…"

"Finally, what about Vegas and House?"

"I don't know much more than what people have told me."

I took the chip from my pocket and held it up. "I'm just not sure I should just complete the job and hand it in. After my conversation with Benny and Yes Man, it just doesn't… feel right. Benny had his own reasons, and whether they were for good or not is up for debate, but he was willing to stand up to House. There has to be a reason for that. And, the thing is, I think Benny was scared to death of House, which is why he was planning what he wanted."

"But no decisions yet?"

I kissed her forehead as she snuggled into me. "No. I'll go see the King tomorrow and find out what I can about him. Then, once you have your passports, we can enter the Strip and figure out what to do next."

The next morning, I would meet the King. He was certainly one of the most fascinating people I would ever meet.

* * *

 _A/N – This is far as I've got so far as I feel I've got myself stuck in a corner. Three reasons:_

 _I was purely focused on Uhtred tracking down Benny and gaining vengeance. I could have stretched it further, but Uhtred was of a single mind._

 _I know how I want to end the story (no spoilers) but getting there… I have ideas of how Uhtred can be involved, but I need to find all the words._

 _I'm also focusing on my other trilogy for the time being, so this will be on temporary hiatus. When my other stories are all finished, I'll write a few more chapters for this._


End file.
